Allora Silverfield
by Allora Silverfield
Summary: Allora Silverfield, a young trainer from Lavender Town, has her world turned upside down on her final day of school. She is launched into an adventure unlike anything you or anyone else has ever seen, one that she will never forget. Follow this young trainer on her journey across Kanto with a few unlikely friends to save not just herself, but the rest of the world too.
1. A License, A Diploma, A Beginning

This is my first story for pokemon. Trust me, the writing improves later on. And it is still a work in progress! I do not own pokemon. Don't forget to review!

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><p>I took another chance and glanced over my shoulder. I could see my Dad's head, poking out slightly above the rest. <em>Today, at least, I'm glad he's tall,<em> I thought, and then they called my name.

"Allora Silverfield." I glanced up. Our principal smiled down at me and motioned for me to stand. I rose and almost tripped over my graduation gown, as I climbed the stairs onto the stage. I quickly recovered and marched over to receive my diploma.

I reached my hand out and took hold of the packet. I was planning on just taking it, smiling a little, and then sitting back down, but principal Riffe wasn't having any of that.

"Oh Allora," he began. This wasn't going to end well. "I remember the first time you set foot into our school; Violet High." _No you don't, let me sit down!_ I thought. Each student was bound to get some kind of commentary about their achievements. But the essay he appeared to have written about me was not what I expected. Sure I was one of the top students in my class, but our school was so small, it was like being the skinny kid at fat camp. I mean, Lavender Town itself was small. It ends in _town._

"You were so little and... small." _Thanks Mr. Riffe, really making me proud of myself. _"But you have grown up! Just like the rest of our student body. You have excelled in each and every area of study offered at our lovely institution." Well of course I did. Both of my parents were breeders. They never wanted to be anything else, and both of them have been hinting at wanting me to choose that as my post-graduation career once I received my Training License. And history? I just love it. Learning about the original dex-holders is one of my favorite pastimes. Math and science always just came naturally. And battling class... it was just my passion.

When students in Kanto graduate from secondary school, usually around the age 16, we are allowed to choose a career path. After the first year in one career, switches are allowed. But one year of participation is required at least before a student is allowed to switch. At graduation, you receive your Trainer License, your Pokedex, and your "first" pokemon. The latter is just ceremonial usually. Most students have been training and caring for their own pokemon for years. Well, most students, except me.

My parents are very… how do I say? Strict. They both believe that choosing my career and first pokemon should one big, sacred event, and that I shouldn't pledge my heart to any pokemon until graduation day. Today. So, while my parents both own pokemon of their own, and I have battled with, trained, bred, and befriended them, I have never actually owned my own pokemon. Which is embarrassing, seeing as how nearly everyone else in my class has.

I know most everything there is to know about the different types of pokemon, even without my own Pokedex. Living on the breeding ranch with my parents has given me that skill. I have battled with and cared for almost every different type of pokemon, from normal to fire to dark. But I have never had one to call my own. I don't know which pokemon I will chose when I am presented with my options this afternoon (I can't make up my mind!) But, I already know which career path I am taking.

In Kanto, there are hundreds of careers to chose from, and nearly all of them involve pokemon. You could work in a hospital with the chansey, or in a laboratory with the alakazam. You could dedicate your life to contests and use pokemon like persian or glameow, or you could become a police officer and make use of the mighteyena and houndoom.

My parents want me to become a breeder. Breeders work with every type of pokemon, charting egg groups and helping trainers breed different egg moves in their pokemon. Though it is an interesting and well paying career, there is only one career I have ever considered for myself. I want to become a trainer.

A trainer is the most popular career to go into, and it is also the most popular one to drop out of. Many people simply do not make enough money to live off of training, battling, and collecting pokemon, not to mention the very real danger that comes with it. Trainers make money by winning battles, selling rare pokemon, and completing their Pokedex. The more complete your Pokedex, the fatter your annual check the government sends you to continue your work. In order to make a living as a trainer, you have to be okay with moving around a lot, and you also have to be good at it. Both of which suited me perfectly.

Pokedexes are very important to trainers in that they have become a lifestyle. Before Professor Oak died, he made sure that almost every trainer had a Pokedex, and that they had an incentive to fill it. The data recorded in Pokedexes is very important to government research, so those who are really good at getting complete data are also very well paid. But in order to do that a lot of traveling is required, and that is just what I want to spend my life doing.

"And, ladies and gentlemen, that is Allora." Riffe finally finished after what seemed like an hour. I stole a look at my parents. Dad and Mom were beaming up at me, and so was Pretty, Dad's raticate, who was sitting in the seat next to him. I took a bow and headed back to my seat.

None of the other speeches seemed to last as long, but maybe that is just because I wasn't so nervous anymore, or just because my name is at the end of the alphabet. I took out my Trainer License from the diploma. I hated my picture, but then again, who ever likes school pictures? My blonde hair hung in ringlets around my face. My gray eyes peeked out from under my bangs that, at the last second, had decided they were going to fall down and hide my face. My tan looked orange in the fluorescent lights used during the photo shoot... I shuddered and tucked the license back in the diploma, shielding it from view.

Soon it was time for the reception, which was outside, of course, so the various attending pokemon could be comfortable. There was a table set up for the people to eat from, and a separate one lower to the ground for the pokemon to snack from. Pretty wasted no time, and headed right over to the lower table, and she also wasted no time getting into a fight with a vulpix over a particularly large hunk of cheese.

"Pretty!" I scolded "Seriously? Be nice for once and share!"

"Rati- Raticate…" She huffed and handed the hunk of cheese to the vulpix, who ungratefully snatched it out of her paw and began eating.

"Now now, is that any way to behave?" said a voice. I turned. Behind me stood Cali, my best friend.

"Cali? This vulpix is yours?" I asked.

"Well, not technically," she responded with a wink, "But yes, in a sense. What about that raticate? I thought your parents…"

"No, she's my Dad's." I said quickly. Cali was one of the only people that knew about my pokemon-less situation. I couldn't bear it if anyone else found out. People just assumed I had lots of my own pokemon, seeing how well I did in class. And because that made me, in a way, popular, keeping my situation on the down-low was be ideal.

The vulpix bounced lightly over to Cali's feet and head-butted her. Cali bent and picked it up. "Alright, let's get ready to head back to our seats. It's almost time to get our Pokedexes!" She turned to me. "Hey, Allora, you up for a battle later on tonight? I can't wait to see what pokemon you pick out! Besides, I wanna see if all of those school-smarts comes out on the field."

"Come on Cali, you've seen me battle before, you know I'll kick your butt." I said playfully.

"Yeah, well maybe not with your own pokemon!" She retorted. The vulpix licked her face and she laughed. "I'll see you later Allora!"

"Yeah, later, bye!" I said after her. I spent the next 15 minutes looking for Pretty, who I finally found with her face literally shoved in a bowl of pokefood, sitting behind a bush. "Well at least you're happy."

"Mmmpphh?" She said with a mouthful of pokefood. I sighed and picked her up.

"Come on," I said, "Lets go find Dad."

I sat in my chair, picking my fingernails, until finally the woman who was passing out the Pokedexes handed me my own, but disappointingly told me not to open it yet. The red metal was cold in my hand. There was the basic pokeball design on the front, but I knew that patterned cases were available, so I wasn't too worried about losing mine in a sea of scarlet later on. The instructor finally gave us permission to open them.

We were in a miniature lecture hall, almost like a university classroom. There was just enough room for my entire senior class to find seats. Everyone opened their Pokedexes.

I pressed the button on the bottom half of the index-card-sized box. The Pokedex came to life. The screen slid out of the top of the box, and two doors, undetectable until this point, slid open to reveal a QUERTY keyboard, along with an ENTER button, a BACK button, and a RECORD button. Of course I already knew how to use a Pokedex, everyone did. If it wasn't because of our parents, it was older siblings or grandparents that had let us, at one time or another, play with one.

The screen lit up. "Follow the instructions on the screen and then set it down on your desk when you are ready to move on." The instructor said. Soon all that could be heard in the room was the clicking of thumbs on keyboards and confirmation beeps from the Pokedexes.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Was the question on the screen. Allora Silverfield. ENTER. The screen loaded for a sec, and then my Trainer License picture popped up on screen. IS THIS YOU? IF YES, HIT ENTER. IF NO, HIT BACK. I grimaced at the horrible picture, and quickly hit ENTER. The screen loaded for a second again, and then the main screen popped up.

At the top left was my name. Then just under my name was my picture (which was officially going to be retaken,) and just under that were the numbers 0/0. This meant 0 caught/0 recorded. Once I recorded data of a pokemon, the recorded number would go up. But it is only possible to get complete data on a pokemon if that pokemon is caught, by scanning their pokeball. Otherwise, only their picture, type, moves, and location are available. Once caught, specifics about its height, weight, personality, and history are revealed. Each individual pokemon is different, their personalities for example, so once each Pokedex is taken in for evaluation once a year, all of the information gets added into a gigantic database for study. Each year the World Pokemon Database, or WPD, grows bigger and bigger thanks to dedicated trainers and collectors.

On the left side of the screen there were six blank boxes. Once I had pokemon of my own, I could scan them and their pictures, nicknames, and levels would appear in each box. If clicked on, the box would blow up to take up the entire screen with information such as height, weight, and moves.

I could also click a small pokeball-shaped button at the bottom of the screen to pull up the pokemon encyclopedia, filled with whatever categorized information I had collected during my journey, as well as many pre-loaded safety tips.

I set my Pokedex down on the desk and glanced around the room. It was fairly quiet, and very private. Parents are only allowed to visit for the ceremony. The giving of the pokemon and Pokedexes, as well as career choosing, are all privately done. Once the clicking of fingers on the keyboards slowed to a stop, the instructor stood and walked over to the podium.

"Now is for the moment most of you have waited for your whole lives," the instructor said. Well, probably just me, because I was probably the only person in that room that didn't own their own pokemon yet. "I'm sure you area all very excited to see what is in these cabinets that are behind me." This was actually the first time I had noticed them. There were six cabinets behind the instructor, who I then realized was my pokemon history teacher, Mrs. Price. "I will now open each cabinet and show you what is inside. Each Pokemon you are about to see is level five. There are enough Pokemon to where you could all chose the same one and still get your pick, so don't worry about choosing last." Good, because I was always close to last.

She then stepped to the first cabinet and opened it. Inside were more pokeballs then I had ever seen in my life. And that was only the first cabinet! "These are the fire Pokemon you may choose from." She took out four minimized pokeballs, unminimized them, and threw them in the air.

"Come out and show yourselves!" She shouted. I could feel the student body holding their breath, waiting to see their choices.

In a flash of red light, four pokemon appeared in the lecture hall.

The first was a charmander. Standard starter for the Kanto Region, and one of the most popular. Its tail shone in a brilliant flame as it smiled at the crowd of students watching it. "Char-Char!" it said, and let out a burst of flame from its mouth. There was some "Ooh" ing and "Ahh" ing from the audience, and the feisty thing just ate the attention right up.

"A charmander is one of our most often selected pokemon. As you all know, they are extremely rare in the wild, so picking one might be worth your while."

The second pokemon was a growlith. It was currently chasing the charmander's swishing tail flame, and succeeded in pouncing on it. The charmander just grinned and closed its eyes. The flame on its tail grew twice its normal size. "Grow!" The growlith yelped and hit behind the instructor. "Charmander! Char! Char!" said the charmander tauntingly. I could see several of the boys in the class eyeing the charmander. You could tell they liked its feisty attitude.

The third pokemon, who seemed aloof to the foolishness on its left, was a vulpix. It seemed to be having a conversation with the fourth fire Pokemon, a ponyta. They were making different pokemon vowel sounds and I could have sworn they were talking about the two others who were scuffling beside them.

Ponyta and vulpix were often chosen by girls. Ponyta because, well, what girl didn't want a pony for their birthday as a kid? And vulpix because of its cute fox-like face and beautiful six tails. The evolved form of vulpix, ninetales, is also a desired pokemon for contests, which is a female-dominated profession.

The other cabinets were opened in the same way. The second one was filled with water pokemon. The four pokemon presented were squirtle, goldeen, staru, and magikarp. The magikarp just flopped around saying "Karp. Karp." And I could tell a few of my classmates were wondering of what use it could possibly be. But I and most others knew what happened to a magikarp if it was trained well. It evolved into a super strong gyrados, which was an extremely powerful and diverse pokemon.

The next cabinet was grass. The four pokemon offered were bulbasaur, oddish, bellsprout, and exeggcute. The strong one in this group was definitely the exeggcute. Though it doesn't look like much, it's a psychic type, and with a leaf stone it evolves into an exeggutor, a very powerful pokemon that can learn both psychic and solarbeam.

The following cabinet was electric types. First was the obvious crowd pleasing pikachu, followed by a voltorb and a magnemite. There were only three electric types to choose from, which makes sense because they are harder to come by than grass, water, or fire. Everyone knows pikachu from the history lessons. Pikachu was Ash Ketchum's partner pokemon, given to him by Professor Oak. It was the most powerful pikachu in history. Ash went on to conquer the gyms and leagues in all five regions. He also defeated the notorious Team Rocket, and was one of the pioneers in Pokedex completion. However, he did not catch as many pokemon as he could have, which is why we still need people today completing their Pokedexes with captures.

The fifth cabinet was flying types. There were only three of these also: a pidgey, a spearow, and a far'fetched. The far'fetched immediately began doing tricks with its stick, performing ninja-like moves and demonstrating the move cut. The pidgey felt shown up, and began using gust, and it whisked the stick right out of the far'fetched's wing! If Mrs. Price hadn't intervened, there would have been a pokemon battle right in the middle of the classroom. Meanwhile, the spearow just stood by, seemingly superior to the squabble going on between the other two bird Pokemon.

The last cabinet was normal types. The four pokemon offered were snubble, jigglypuff, clefairy, and meowth. Meowth was also a notorious pokemon. People chose meowth because of its implications with Team Rocket. It is said that a group in Team Rocked had a meowth that could talk, but it was never proven. Many students chose a meowth in hopes that they could train it to talk, but there had never been any success.

Mrs. Price began to call off names of students to come up and choose their pokemon. The first student, a boy, went down and walked straight to the far'fetched and picked it up. They looked at each other, and the far'fetched spread its wings and said, "Fetch?" The student said, "I've found my partner," and smiled. Everyone clapped. He took the far'fetched's ball and went to sit down. I don't know if he chose a nickname or not.

Mrs. Price took out a second Pokeball and threw it into the air. With a flash of red light another far'fetched was on the floor. This one was much more energetic than the other one. It kept pacing back and forth and sharpening its Stick over and over again.

The next student to choose was a girl, and she picked an expected ponyta. Once again the instructor selected another one and threw it out onto the floor. This went on for 30 minutes until it was almost my turn to choose. Although, suddenly, I realized that I didn't know what I wanted!

I love all types of pokemon, and though I knew I would be able to catch others later on, making a decision like this seemed biased. The girl before me had just chosen her goldeen and was sitting down. I started to stand up and prepared myself to make an eenie-meenie-meine-mo selection when-

"Ryan Sobolewski." Mrs. Price said.

I had been skipped.

_What! _I thought. I made panicked eye contact with Cali, who just shrugged. She had chosen a charmander, no surprise. She always had a passion for fire Pokemon. Cali raised her eyebrows and mouthed, _maybe it's a mistake_?

I didn't know what to think. I sat through the rest of the ceremony in distress. After the last person chose (a pidgey,) Mrs. Price announced "And that is the end of the choosing ceremony. You have one hour to go and get to know your pokemon. Don't forget to scan it in your Pokedex. Be back in here on time for the careers. Have fun."

No sooner were the words out of her mouth then chaos erupted. People stormed to get out of their seats and rush outside to battle each other with their new pokemon. Bird pokemon flew out the door, the fire pokemon ran out, nearly catching several people on fire. The smart people put their pokemon into their balls before heading out, if only to create more breathing room.

Me? I just sat in my seat. I wondered what I could have done wrong. Why didn't I get my own pokemon? I had waited for this day my whole life, and now something is wrong with me! Cali walked up to me. Her vulpix and charmander came up behind her. vulpix jumped onto my lap and gave me a comforting lick. The charmander was nervous and hid behind Cali's leg. "Go on," she said, and it slowly inched up to me and finally rested its head against my leg.

"I just don't know what I did wrong," I said to Cali miserably.

"You did nothing wrong," said a voice. I looked up. Mrs Price was standing at the podium. "Allora Silverfield," she said. She looked up at me. "That's you right?" I nodded. She took a piece of paper out of her pocket and unfolded it. She read: "I have my eye on this one. These two are for her. She'll do right by them. I hope we shall meet some day. –Erik" She looked at me. "Does that name mean anything to you?" I shook my head. "Erik is the Champion of the Unova region. The Champion of the Champions. You'll have to battle him someday if you decide to become a trainer. I guess he is assuming you will become one." She tilted her head. "That is what you want to do isn't it?"

I swallowed. "More than anything." I stated timidly. Then more boldly: "Why does the Champion of Unova want anything to do with me? I'm just a girl from Lavender Town. I'm nobody. How does he even know who I am?" I was completely baffled.

The instructor studied me, then said, "The Champion sees things. He has agents. He knows talent when he sees it and, apparently, he sees it in you. He obviously wants you to take the gym challenges and finally meet him. I don't know, maybe he has a job for you. But if I were you, I would not turn him down." She reached under the podium. "These," she said as she pulled out a golden box, "are for you."

I got up hesitantly and walked down the stairs towards the front of the class. The vulpix, charmander, and Cali followed close behind. I reached the podium and stuck my hand out to open the box. I glanced at the instructor, who nodded. I opened the latch with a click and carefully opened the box. Inside were two Pokeballs. I picked them up and studied them. There wasn't anything really special about them, so I threw them in the air and said "Come out!"

There was a flash of red light, and out came two identical pokemon that I had never seen before. Mrs. Price looked both shocked and pleasantly surprised. Cali was in awe. I, however, had no idea what I was looking at. "What?" I asked. "What are they?"

Mrs. Price looked shocked at first, but covered it up nicely. She chuckled and said, "This would be a good time to use your Pokedex, don't you think?" I fumbled around in my purse until I found it. Then I snapped it open and hit RECORD. Since they were mine, the full data came up. It said:

EEVEE, THE EVOLUTION POKEMON. ITS IRREGULARLY CONFIGURED DNA IS AFFECTED BY ITS SURROUNDINGS. IT EVOLVES IF ITS ENVIRONMENT CHANGES.

It then pulled up an evolution map of an Eevee. I gasped. Eevee could evolve into 7 different pokemon! I looked at the instructor gaping. She laughed.

"The Champion must see something in you, girl." She said. "Eevee are very rare pokemon. Once upon a time, they weren't nearly as rare, but recent events have ensured their fate. These two look like twins. In fact, that one," she gestured to the ball of fluff on the right, "is a girl. And the other," She gestured to the left, "is a boy." She looked at me. "The Champion must know that you will make the right decision as to how to evolve them. He must have known how you felt about picking favorite types." I must have looked shocked, because she smiled. "Don't think I couldn't tell how you felt. I felt the same way when I chose my first. It wasn't hard to tell; I could see the panicked look on your face the whole time."

I was taken aback. Why had I never seen one of these pokemon before? I thought hard, and remembered only vague pictures of them from old textbooks. Never once had they been brought up by my parents, and for a pokemon with seven evolutions, it seemed strange that my breeder parents didn't own even one.

For the first time, I really looked at the Eevees. One of them was obviously smaller, and it had a white spot on the back of its ear. The other was larger and darker colored. It was obviously male. The two were wrestling around on the ground making happy squeaking noises. I checked my Pokedex again. They each knew the moves Tackle, Helping Hand, Tail Whip, and Growl. They had stopped rolling around and were now exploring their surroundings. The male was sniffing my feet, while the female was touching noses with Vulpix and staring into his eyes. They looked as if they were having some sort of psychic conversation.

I was still digesting the fact that I had just been given not one, but two very rare Pokemon. I thought about my parents reactions to the fact that now I was basically cornered into becoming a trainer, not that I minded. My parents would go nuts if they saw these two eevee. They would immediately want to breed one with a ditto for study. But these were my Pokemon, right? For my adventure. I shook my head, vowing not to cave in if my parents wanted one for themselves. I decided naming them would be a good way to make them feel more like my own, so I began pondering nicknames.

The female had a bright personality. She was now chasing the charmander's fiery tail, but Cali's charmander was nice and was not enlarging its tail flame just to be mean like the other one. She also had that white spot on her ear, shaped sort of like a sun, so I decided on a nickname. "This one will be called Sunny." I said.

Sunny perked her ears up and seemed to acknowledge her name. "Eeeeve!" She said and bounded over to my legs.

The male was off exploring the room. He was crawling under chairs and sniffing trash. He was very inquisitive, and his coat was a darker brown than Sunny's. He also seemed more calm and tranquil than Sunny. "His name will be Noche." I grinned at my super not-clever, but fitting, nicknames.

Noche padded back over beside me and sat at my feet, his sister following suit. I felt a sudden, almost palpable bond with these two pokemon beside me, and I knew this was the start of something great.


	2. A Battle's Worth a Thousand Words

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><p>Cali and I walked out of the lecture hall, each of us toying with the poke balls of our new pokemon. Sunny and Noche followed close behind me, murmuring in their own language to each other and occasionally glancing at me. <em>I wonder what they're talking about?<em> I wondered as I walked. Cali and I were headed out to the courtyard. We still had 45 minutes left on our break before choosing our careers.

We both already had it planned out. We were to be trainers together, and travel the world capturing and training pokemon. She wanted to specialize in fire types (no surprise there), while I had no preference. I wanted to collect all of the Gym Badges, starting with Kanto, then Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and finally Unova. Hopefully, I would get to meet this mysterious Erik, the Champion of Unova. It was to be quite the task, and I was glad Cali was going to have my back. Being a trainer could be a lonely business without a traveling partner, even with pokemon by your side.

We knew exactly what we were going to do. We each had money saved in the bank, and the government gives all graduates a check for _P_20000. Each student, based on their GPA, personal wishes, and chosen career, also receives a bag with several "tools of the trade". Once Cali and I got our bags we would set off, camping out and hopefully in the future training strong enough pokemon to help us construct some kind of shelter.

That was our plan. It was all we had. We were just going to have to see how things went.

But for now, we headed out to the courtyard. I, for one, could not wait to see how Sunny and Noche did in a battle. I knew that they both knew helping hand, so I was hoping to go for a double battle. Cali's charmander (who she had named Flare) was a female, which was rare for the species. It only knew scratch and growl, being level 5. Her vulpix, on the other hand, who's name I learned later was Sam, was a male. He had been being trained by Cali for some time and was level 14. It knew ember, tail whip, and the very useful move confuse ray.

We headed down the hall and pushed open the double doors leading outside. We each held them open for our pokemon, and then we stepped outside.

Pokemon were everywhere! Some students were shouting commands, and having some success, but others were being completely ignored. Bird pokemon were flying in circles in the air, occasionally swooping down and pecking a pokemon that wasn't even in their own battle.

"Come back here! Pidgey! Pidgey! Stop that!" A tall boy yelled as he sprinted past Cali and me, nearly squishing Sunny underfoot.

"Eevee!" She said astonished and ran behind me.

"Its okay girl," I said and continued to assess the situation.

It seemed as if there were five makeshift "battlefields" in play. One was over the fountain, so I assumed that was where the water pokemon were. The other four were spaced out around the courtyard. Students were gathered around the perimeter of each, placing bets and cheering on their friends.

The center battlefield looked like it was the biggest, and it also happened to be where all of the popular kids were gathered. One in particular, Carl Richardson, had taken it upon himself to referee the battle.

"Ugh that pig," groaned Cali. They had dated once, and only for a very short time. Turns out he was more interested in his own reflection than her. "Let's head down there and see what he is screwing up now." We started over in that direction. I picked up Sunny because she was scared, but Noche strutted boldly behind me.

As we came up on the field, we began to hear Carl's voice. "And now, ladies and gentlemen," he said with a flourish. Yuck, "we have today's contestants!" The student body cheered as he gestured behind him. "On my left, I present to you the bold, the brave, the smokin' hot, Jessie Riendau!"

Jessie stood on the field. Her hair was black and wavy, and came down to just past her shoulders. She had the most flawless skin of anyone you have ever seen. She was just over five and a half feet tall, but had the body of a supermodel. You don't even have to wonder why she was the most popular girl in school. She popped her gum once and smiled. She took out a pokeball and enlarged it in her hand. She then threw it into the air.

"Go, Sparky!" She announced. There was a flash of red, and a male pikachu stood on the field.

"Pika!" it said, and its cheeks crackled with electricity. The crowd went wild.

Carl went back to his announcing. "And on my right, we have the nerdy, the scary, the abominable, Savannah!"

"He didn't even bother to say her last name." Cali muttered under her breath. Savannah Summers was very smart, and super sweet, though I don't think she had worn makeup her whole life. Needless to say, NOT the most popular person out there.

She fumbled through her fanny pack for her poke ball. She took it out, almost dropping it, and finally tossed it into the air.

"Go, Meowth!" She said. The ball opened, and a meowth appeared onto the field. The crowd began jeering at her.

Carl just couldn't keep his mouth shut. "What," he laughed, "did you think you could make it TALK?" The crowd went crazy. Savannah looked down at the ground, her cheeks as red as a flame.

Carl laughed and shook his head. He began to walk off the field, and nonchalantly flicked his wrist. Jessie took her cue.

"Sparky, tackle." She said, looking at her nails.

"Pika!" The pikachu, Sparky, said, and started sprinting towards Meowth.

Savannah had just looked up when BAM! Her meowth was hit. "Eoow!" it said and it sprawled on the ground. Sparky bounced back over to Jessie, who was smiling broadly. The crowd went wild.

Cali and I found spots across the field from Carl, close to the edge so we could see. We had a good view of the battle. I set Sunny down. "Stay close to me!" I yelled over the crowd.

Savannah had recovered herself. "Meowth," she said, "sprint as fast as you can to Sparky's right!"

"Meow!" It said, and it took off. It ran, flanking the pikachu just as Savannah said.

Jessie looked bored. "Sparky, time your tackle to hit it as it comes around!"

Sparky waited and watched as Meowth sped towards it. As it got closer, he began to run at an angle towards the spot Meowth would be in just a few seconds. This was what Savannah was waiting for.

Right before Sparky hit Meowth, Savannah said "Meowth stop, then use scratch!" Meowth froze in its tracks, and Sparky raced by. Meowth then sprang up and dug its claws into Sparky's back. Then it bounded away.

"Pika!" yelped Sparky, and it tumbled face first into the ground. "Why you little…" Said Jessie. "Sparky, recover and then use thundershock!"

"Chu!" said Sparky, and nodded. It's cheeks began to spark. "Pika…chuuu!" it said, and a bolt of lightning came off of its tail, headed right towards Meowth.

"Meowth, try to dodge it!" Savannah yelled. Meowth sidestepped the thundershock just barely, its tail nearly getting nicked. Sparky tried to shock him again and Meowth leaped to the right, dodging again.

Meowth continued to zig-zag back and forth across the field, making its way back towards Savannah. Then, something shocking happened.

Not even I thought Carl was this low. As Meowth came zipping past him on the right of the field, Carl kicked a cloud of sand up in its face.

"Meooww!" it wailed and fell face first into the dirt. Seconds later, a thundershock from Sparky zapped it. Meowth jerked a little, then lay still.

"Meowth is unable to battle," Carl announced. "Jessie and Sparky are the winners!" The crowd began to cheer, but I couldn't take it anymore.

"Wait a second!" I shouted and bolted across the field towards the injured meowth. People continued cheering. "I said wait! Did you not see what just happened?" I kneeled down. Savannah was already beside Meowth, about to pick it up into her arms.

"What are you talking about Al?" Carl asked innocently. "I just moved my foot."

"First of all, only my friends call me Al," I stated plainly. The crowd began to die down. I turned and stood so everyone could hear me. "And second, I don't know if you all are just that oblivious to what just happened, or if you just don't care, but interference in a pokemon battle is illegal. And I know Meowth wouldn't have fallen if Carl hadn't used his little man-made sand-attack there."

"Well what are you gonna do about it Al?" he asked, and got up in my face. Clearly he had missed the memo about my name. "Fight me?"

At this point, Cali and our four pokemon had pushed through the crowd and were standing on my right. The two Eevees were getting some pointed fingers and some looks, but they both ignored them. I could tell they could sense my agitation. They looked up at my face anxiously.

I had two choices. I could either back down and look like a fool in front of everyone, or I could stand up for Savannah, Meowth, and all of the injustice that had just unfolded in front of me. I stood taller and looked Carl in the eye.

"Carl, I challenge you to a pokemon battle!"

He grinned, like it was planned, and this worried me. "Bring it," he called, walking past me. "You better watch your back," he whispered so only I could hear, sending chills down my spine.

"Jesse!" he called. Jesse strutted over, Sparky following at her heels. "Jesse, I'm afraid we're going to need a ref for the battle. Would you do the honors?"

She smiled and was about to agree when I said; "Hold up, I don't trust her anymore than I trust you."

"Ugh!" Jesse gasped, a look of complete and utter fake innocence on her face.

"If she is calling the shots, I want Cali to be allowed to ref also." I said as I dragged Cali up beside me. Cali didn't resist much; she loves the spotlight.

Carl shrugged and tossed his hands into the air. "Fine, fine," he stated. "Listen up!" the crowd quieted down once again. "Al here has challenged me to a pokemon battle." This received some cheering and some booing, but I wasn't fazed. "Please, everyone clear the battlefield, you are about to witness…" he paused for effect, then, "history!"

There was an insane amount of cheering. By this time, the other battles going on around the central field had stopped, the trainers had returned their pokemon, and everyone was beginning to gather around. Soon the entire student body had come to watch the battle unfold.

Cali returned both Flare and Sam to their pokeballs. She put her red hair up into a ponytail and strutted to the right-center sideline. Jesse stood on the opposite sideline. They glared at each other, each daring the other to make a biased call during the battle. I could tell this was going to be pretty fairly refereed.

I moved to my side of the battlefield, followed by Sunny and Noche. They stood on either side of me, their fur standing up. I could tell they could feel the energy in the air.

"I request a double battle, if that is alright with you," I yelled over the crowd to Carl. He nodded, having moved to his position across from me.

Cali took the lead before Jesse: "The opponents will use two pokemon each in a double battle. The trainer who has the last pokemon standing will be the winner!"

Jesse glared over at Cali and took a step onto the battlefield. "Let the battle begin!" she said, clearly happy with getting the last word in. Cali just huffed and turned her eyes to me.

"I will use my two pokemon, Sunny and Noche!" I announced loudly.

"Eeeevee!" They trilled, and bounded forward onto the battlefield. They moved so in synch, it was almost as if they were one. _They _**_must_**_ be twins_, I thought. I turned my eyes to Carl.

He was smirking, an ugly, half smile. "You make me laugh," he said. "Go, Charmander and Zubat!" he said and threw two balls out in front of him.

There was a flash of red, the two pokemon appeared on the opposite end. It was the first charmander that was up for grabs during the choosing ceremony. The mean one. The one that torched the poor growlith. The charmander was grinning.

"Charmander! Char!" it shouted. Its tail flame grew larger as it talked. The zubat fluttered above the charmander's head, zigzagging back and forth. It was going to be hard to hit a flying type with my two grounded normal types.

Carl made the first move. "Charmander, ember! Zubat, leech life!" he yelled. Charmander began charging towards Sunny to better its range. Zubat flew towards Noche, its fangs glistening in the sunlight.

I quickly decided which attack would do the least damage, then I said, "Noche, use helping hand! You're going to have to endure the leech life, but distract Charmander!"

"Eeeeev!" he squeaked boldly, and he rushed in front of the charging Charmander that quickly switched its focus from Sunny to him.

"Sunny, quick, tackle Charmander now!"

Sunny ducked her head and sprinted towards Charmander. She hit the pokemon with a full body tackle, knocking it to the side before it reached Noche. The two lay on the ground in a heap; Charmander because it was hurt and Sunny because she was disoriented.

"Veee!" I heard from my right. I turned. Zubat was latched onto Noche's rear end and didn't look like it was going to let go. Noche was running in circles, trying to get its teeth into Zubat's wing.

"Noche! Roll onto your back and pin Zubat beneath you!" I cried.

Noche stopped running in circles and threw himself on the ground. Zubat began struggling, flapping its wings and hitting Noche with wing attack. Noche cried out in pain but held firm.

"Noche, quick! While its head is down there, use sand attack!" I said desperately. Noche began swishing its tail back and forth, kicking sand up into Zubat's mouth.

"Baaa!" It shrieked, and released its teeth from Noche's back. It managed to get out from under the eevee and try to fly away. Zubat don't have eyes, but they do use echolocation to see. The sand that had gotten it its mouth was impeding this process, and now was my chance.

"Noche! Use tackle before it can get too high!" I commanded.

"Zubat, look out!" Carl said just a little too late.

Noche ran to a rock, bounded to the top of it, and used it as a launching point. He sprang into the air and WHAM! Hit Zubat square in the chest.

"Zuu!" it wailed and it crashed into the ground. Noche landed on his feet and bounced towards me. The crowd was going wild, with both boo's and hooray's. I was about to congratulate Noche when I heard a squeal.

"Eeev!" It was Sunny. Charmander had it pinned under its foot and was burning its ear with its tail. It wasn't even a real move. It was torture.

"Noche! Tackle! Help your sister!" I yelled, panicked. The worst part was that Carl was looking proud of his pokemon for torturing the poor weakened eevee. Noche saw the commotion and sprinted back across the battlefield.

"Charmander, aim carefully and use ember!" Carl ordered. Without even moving its foot off of Sunny, it shot a burst of flame from its mouth.

"Noche!" I shouted too late. The attack hit Noche right in the neck as it tried to turn its head away from the blast. He was propelled backward onto the ground where he lay still. There was more cheering from the crowd, with an audible gasp from Cali.

"No!" I yelled and took a half step onto the battlefield.

"Oh no you don't Al. You know the rules," Carl said cruelly. The crowd quieted, listening to him. He narrowed his eyes and grinned. "No interference in a pokemon battle, or you lose."

He began to laugh evilly to himself as I struggled with myself not to help my injured partner. Carl seemed not to care that Zubat was fainted. He hadn't even flinched when Noche hit it with that tackle. But I at least have a heart. I am not cruel. But I knew the rules, and I abided by them. The thing that bothered me was Carl's taunt and his evil laugh, clearly resonating over the silence of the crowd.

As Carl laughed, I processed several things happening at once.

One, Carl was too busy being distracted by laughing to watch the battlefield.

Two, Charmander had its head turned away from Sunny and was watching Carl, grinning in that same evil manner.

Three, Sunny had made eye contact with me. I could see both pain and determination in her eyes.

And four, Charmander's foot had loosened on top of Sunny's chest.

I looked at Sunny. She looked back. We made a psychic agreement, and I nodded.

Instantly Sunny, with a burst of strength unknown to me until then, whipped her legs under her, scratching Charmander's foot in the process, and straightened them, bounding a good four meters off to Charmander's right.

"Chaaar!" it shrieked as it toppled to the ground, thrown off balance by Sunny's leap and its injured foot.

Someone in the crowd shouted "Get it little lady!" And the cheering started up once again.

"Quick, Sunny, tackle him while he's down!" I shouted. Normally that is considered a cheap shot, but at this point, I really didn't care.

Sunny took two giant leaps and covered the distance between herself and Charmander. "Eeevee!" she squealed and ran right into Charmander's head. She bounced several meters away after the blow.

"Mander! Charmander!" it groaned and rolled on the ground. It tried to stand up again, but that wasn't going to happen.

"Again! Tackle again!" I shouted, and the distinctive adrenaline of winning a battle filled my veins.

Sunny bounded once towards Charmander, then she sprinted faster than I thought she possibly could and rammed Charmander with her shoulder as it was trying to stand. Sunny had learned quick attack.

Charmander made no sound this time. It slumped over, and then fell face first into the dirt, its tail flame barely sizzling.

The crowd was going insane. "Charmander and Zubat are unable to battle, Allora, Sunny, and Noche are winners!" The crowd roared. I sprinted over to Noche and kneeled down. I gently picked him up.

Cali ran over, Flare and Sam now out of their pokeballs. The two fire types went to either side of Noche to see if he was okay.

A revive was shoved into my face by someone, I don't remember who. I quickly crushed it and sprinkled it on Noche's tounge. Slowly, but surely, his eyes opened. Sunny bounded over to check on her brother. She licked his face.

"Eeev?" he squeaked questioningly.

I laughed. "We won buddy, it's okay." Then I heard the clapping.

The cheering was dying down to the post-battle chatter. But I could hear one set of hands slowly clapping. I set Noche down and stood to look. It was Carl.

He and some of his buddies had gathered in the center of the battlefield, just off to my right. Charmander and Zubat had been returned. Carl was facing me, clapping slowly.

"Congratulations. I much look forward to meeting you again. But, I'm afraid, it's time for me to go." I looked at him confused. "Ah, yes. You didn't think those were my real pokemon, did you? No… and I am done here. My friends and I have more… important things to attend to."

I was still confused. Not his real pokemon? What? I was still staring at him trying to make sense of what he said when Carl pulled two pokeballs out of his pocket. Two different ones from the battle.

He grinned. "Shocked?" he said. "Don't be. Don't you know that I would never stoop to the level of you losers and choose one of your 'careers'?" He was addressing everyone now. It had quieted down, and people were paying more attention to his speech than before. "No, there are better things in this world! More pokemon, more money, more power! It's about time you people chose sides." He made eye contact with me and held it. "I for damn sure would be on my team."

He threw the pokeballs in the air. "Go, Weezing and Alakazam!" Weezing and Alakazam? Two already evolved pokemon? What was going on?

The two pokemon appeared on the field. They both had their eyes narrowed and were eyeing the crowd.

Carl bared his teeth. "I think it's about time we got this show on the road. Shall we?" He looked around at the student body. "I have one final message. Hear these words: Team Rocket will return, like the Ho-oh rises from the ashes. Retaliation will come swiftly and painfully. None of you will escape unscathed." His eyes came to rest on me. They moved slowly up and down my body. I felt naked, like he could see into my soul.

"And you," he said. 'I will not forget this." He gestured to the battlefield. I could tell that that wasn't a warning. It was a promise.

He glanced at his cronies. Then at the pokemon. "Weezing, smokescreen!"

"Weeezing!" It wheezed, then it shot a black cloud from its body. Suddenly, there was darkness. People were screaming, pokemon were roaring. There was a loud crash and an explosion towards the direction of the school. I could see the flash of a fire.

I stumbled around in the darkness. The smoke was extremely thick. People were feeling around shouting for their pokemon, who were responding with caws and shrieks and growls.

Then I heard Carl's voice: "Alakazam, teleport!" There was a loud thunderclap and a flash of light from the direction of the explosion.

I couldn't see anything. "Cali!" I shouted over the screaming. "Noche! Sunny!"

"Eeev!" I heard, and I felt two warm fuzzies press against my legs. I knelt and picked each of them up in my arms.

"Cali!" I coughed, the smoke entering my lungs.

"Here! Here!" I heard. I made my way towards Cali's voice. The smoke was unbearable. That weezing had a strong smokescreen attack. I still couldn't see anything.

"Pidgeot, use gust!" I heard. Then there was a blast of wind coming from the school. The smoke instantly cleared. Well most of it.

The remains of the wall separating the lecture hall from the courtyard were still smoking. A hole had been blasted through the wall with what looked like an explosion attack. No doubt used by that weezing. Mrs. Price was standing in the newly made doorway. A pidgeot was perched on the ground next to her, preening. It was a beautiful pokemon.

The hole in the wall wasn't as surprising as the scene behind it. The lecture hall was ransacked. Desks were flipped over, the door inside had been blown off of its hinges. But the most surprising part?

The six cabinets full of pokemon had disappeared.


	3. Bags and Feathers

Sorry it took so long to upload. School is hell. Well, enjoy! Don't forget to review! –Allora Silverfield

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><p>"I know today has gone awry. Most of you are probably terrified. Many of you, confused. Some of you, angry. But the show must go on!"<p>

Mrs. Price had taken us to a different building on campus. Officer Jenny had showed up with the police and firefighters. The water pokemon were putting out the wall fire and the police were calling students out of class for witness interviews. The news crew was already there, doing some story about the return of the "Notorious Team Rocket!"

I had already been interviewed. I told them all about the battle, starting from Carl's mistreatment of Savannah's meowth and ending with the scene of Mrs. Price standing in the archway of rubble by the school, her handsome pidgeot preening its feathers after using gust to rid the courtyard of smoke.

Now we were in another classroom. Eleven students were missing, including Carl. Ironically, they happened to all be friends of his. There were assumed to have gone with him and were now, along with Carl, labeled as thieves, criminals, and worst of all, Rockets.

Jessie was one of the ones missing. No surprise there.

Our pokemon were all in our pokeballs. The door to the classroom was being guarded by two houndoom as the police performed their investigation. Mrs. Price was giving a speech at the head of the classroom, reassuring us that the police would handle everything. She was also emphasizing the importance of continuing on with the career choosing ceremony today. Her words: "We cannot show any weakness!" This heroic statement had been met with looks full of uncertainty and skepticism. She decided to change the subject.

"I'm sure you are all shocked by my collection of pokemon," she said and smiled to herself. "But that is a story for another time." After the firefighters had arrived, she had sent out a blastoise to help them with the blaze from the wall. She had also sent out a blissey to help the chansey with the injured pokemon. All of us were wondering what else she had up her sleeve.

Team Rocket. Twenty years ago, they were supposedly disbanded by the famous Ash Ketchum, along with Teams Magma, Aqua, Galactic, and Plasma in the later years. Ash now lived at the peak of Mt. Silver, along with his extremely powerful Pokemon. That was what we had all been taught, anyway. Apparently… things had gotten out of hand again. According to Mrs. Price, for the last few years, there had been an increase in Rocket activity. The police knew that some recruitment had been going on, but they assumed it was few and far between. They had kept the information private, not wanting to alarm the public. No one would have ever guessed that eleven high school students would have been persuaded to join.

No one was sure if any of the other gangs had gotten back together and begun criminal activity again, but Mrs. Price said that we shouldn't worry about them; the most dangerous of the five was Rocket.

It was the perfect plan, really. Use these kids to take the hundreds of ready, eager, starter pokemon that were just sitting out in plain sight in a classroom. Lending them the weezing and alakazam for a quick getaway was no big deal. Now the Rockets had tons of starter pokemon, just waiting to be assigned to new grunts. Recruitment was sure to go up after this.

According to the police, Rocket had designed a new kind of pokeball; a kind that erased a pokemon's ability to sense right and wrong. The pokeball turned the pokemon into a mind-slave, giving its controller the ability to order the pokemon to do anything, even hurt itself. This allowed Rockets to turn **any** pokemon evil, not just ones they had raised from an early age. As soon as they were captured, their minds became blank. This was both astonishing and worrying, but nothing too twisted for an insane Rocket scientist to come up with. It was rumored that the scientists in Rocket were some of the smartest in the world.

Other information about new Rocket technology was minimal at best. The police were really struggling to find out more about their plans. There were rumors of the police even talking about seeking out the original Dex-holders, but the problem with that was most of them had retired and simply disappeared, along with their pokemon. Ash was the only one who's hiding spot was known, but only the Elite Four could manage to climb to the top of Mt. Silver. Besides, why would he want to help anyway? He had done his part. But, at the very least, the robbery of the school's starter pokemon was enough for them to officially announce the return of Team Rocket. Hopefully some of the Dex-holders would see the news and decide to help.

But, for now, it was time to choose our careers. Things went pretty smoothly; about one-fourth of our class (14 students) decided on becoming trainers, including Cali and me. We signed some papers and received our personalized bags, but were told not to open them until everybody had theirs.

Once we had all chosen, we could open our bags. Students around us began to tear open their packs and see what they had. Those who were to become contest enterers received accessories. The collectors received special pokeballs, such as dusk balls and repeat balls. The scientists received test tubes and syringes for drawing blood. Cali and I sat next to each other at a table, both of us eager to see what we had.

"You go first," I said to Cali. She didn't have to be told twice. She dumped the contents of the bag on the table. In front of us sat the standard items for a trainer: some super potions, a few revives, a Carbos, one rare candy, five pokeballs, and some antidotes and paralyze heals. But there were also several non-standard items. These were Cali's requested/assigned special items. One stood out above the rest.

Cali picked it up gingerly in her hand. It was a clear, orange rock that seemed to have a flame trapped inside. Whenever she twirled it, the light caught the stone at different angles and the flame seemed to dance.

"A fire stone," she whispered. As an aspiring trainer of fire pokemon, this was a priceless gift.

"That's awesome!" I said. There was another item on the table. It was a tin container of some sort. "What's that?"

Cali picked it up and popped the lid off. Inside there was a ton of Rawst Berries, a vulpix favorite. "I requested these," Cali said and giggled. I was sure Sam would love them.

There was also a Charcoal, which both of us knew about. It was an item that a pokemon could hold to increase the power of their fire type moves. Cali was particularly excited about that one.

There was one more item. It was a cookie, in a plastic bag. There was a sticky note on the bag that said "Lava Cookie". Cali raised her hand and Mrs. Price came walking over. "What can I help you girls with?" she asked.

"Um, we were wondering what a Lava Cookie is. Is it beneficial to fire pokemon somehow?" Cali asked. Mrs. Price smiled.

"A Lava Cookie is made from volcano ashes instead of flour. It heals any status problem of a pokemon, including confusion and infatuation." She looked at Cali. "I'm sure you can make great use of it."

"Oh, yes ma'am." Cali said pleased. She was looking at the cookie, turning it over and over in her hands. Mrs. Price smiled and shook her head. She moved on to the next table, asking if they needed help.

"Okay Allora, your turn." Cali said. I nodded. I was extremely anxious as to what I had in my bag. We put all of Cali's stuff back in her bag in the correct pockets, and then I dumped mine on the table.

We had the same basic things, pokeballs and potions and such. But my special items were different. The first one I noticed was a small bell with ribbons sticking off of it. I looked at it questioningly. Cali noticed my look and elaborated.

"That's a soothe bell," she said, gently taking the bell from me. "It increases the bond between a trainer and their pokemon if a pokemon holds it." She gave the bell a shake. A clear, resonating sound came from it and echoed throughout the room. The room became quiet as people listened to the bell chime. It was beautiful. Cali set it back on the table.

"It's funny that you got one of those," she said as the room grew noisy again. I looked at her, confused. She shrugged, "Well I guess not really when you think about it. I mean, two of eevee's evolutions are friendship based, so it makes sense."

I nodded. I hadn't really thought about what to evolve my pokemon into yet. I was going to let the decision kind of make itself. But I decided to keep that soothe bell in mind.

The next item on the table was a silk scarf. This was a hold item that increased the power of normal type moves. I smiled. Sunny would look good in this, I thought. Not to mention the fact that it would make quick attack that much stronger. I moved on to the third item.

It looked like a CD. It was round and white, and made of some kind of shiny metal engraved with some cryptic symbols. There was also a piece of tape with words on it on the outside of the CD's case. I immediately knew what it was. It was a TM! I was so excited, I had never seen one in real life before. Cali and I looked at it excitedly and I squinted to read the label.

"It says the move it teaches is return." I glanced at Cali. "Isn't that the one where the power increases depending on pokemon friendship?"

"Yeah." Cali said. She looked thoughtful. "You know, this Erik guy really seems to be saying something about friendship." She looked at me.

I shrugged. "Maybe he just likes umbreons?"

Cali laughed. "Don't forget espeons! Those are cuter!"

I laughed, but I was thinking. Maybe the Champion really was trying to tell me something. Maybe he thinks those two eevelutions are the strongest? I pushed that thought aside; I would worry about that later.

The last item looked like a stick. It had a button on the front of it though, and when I pushed it, the stick unfolded and became a pretty good looking fishing rod.

"I wonder how well this works." I said to Cali. She shrugged. I looked at the rod. It had another button, and when I pushed it, it neatly folded back up into a foot-sized stick. "It sure is compact," I smiled. "I like it."

I was about to put my stuff away when I noticed a little blue box with a note taped to it, lying on its side next to a super potion. I moved the potion over and picked up the box. I pulled the note off and looked at Cali. She looked back at me, and I could tell we were both wondering the same thing: What is this?

I opened the note and read:

I believe that you can make good use of these. You and your friend together are a sacred pair.

Friendship is the glue that holds people and pokemon together.

-Erik

"See? Friendship!" Cali exclaimed.

"It could still just be nothing," I said, though I myself was now convinced of the same thing; that Erik obviously wanted me to have the two friendship evolutions.

I moved my hand over to the box. Slowly, I raised the lid. Inside were two feathers. They were carefully placed in slots that were holding them in place. Cali and I looked at each other in wonder. I picked up the feather on the left.

It was heavier than I thought. This first feather was so shiny and sparkly that at certain angles the light that reflected off of it was so bright that it was hard to look at. It was white, but at certain angles miniature rainbows danced on it's surface. I carefully placed back in the grooves in the box and lifted out the other one.

This one was much lighter than the other one. It was smooth and matte colored. But it was so beautifully colored that it equaled the other in brilliance. It was a vibrant orange towards the bottom, fading to purple, blue, and green towards the top. When I looked closely at each strand that made up the feather, I could see that the orange that I at first thought was solid was actually white, yellow, red, and orange combined into an indiscernible but beautiful pattern.

I placed the second feather back in the box and we stared at them in awe. They were wonderful, captivating, beautiful. Cali broke the silence.

"Um… what are they?"

Good question. I had no idea what they were. All I knew was that they were important. Somehow. I could feel a type of aura coming from them. The silver feather felt calming, peaceful. When I touched it I could hear a faint, sad song. The song sounded like the mournful choruses of wailord in the ocean, mixed with an airy flute that floated over the song in soft, sad phrases.

The orange feather, however, was completely different. Its aura was of fierce loyalty and bravery. When my fingers graced its outline, I could hear drums playing in a steady, tribal rhythm, with a strange bird-like song occasionally piercing through the beat. When I touched the feathers I had a sense of purpose, but for what I did not know. I promised myself to research their significance and find out their purpose.

I looked at Cali and smiled. "This is just something else to add onto our to-do list while we travel the world." I closed the box containing the feathers. "I'm sure Erik had a reason to give us these feathers."

"Yes, but what did he mean about us being 'sacred'?" she asked. "This is so confusing…"

"We'll worry about it later." I said. I glanced at the clock; it was almost time to head home. It had been a very long day. "Come on, let's get our stuff together, I wanna go home."

We carefully put my things into the correct pockets of my bag. I made sure I had my Pokedex and both Noche and Sunny's balls. I had just slung my bag onto my shoulder when the bell rang. Cali and I walked out into the hallway, wading through the sea of students eager to get home and tell their parents about their eventful day.

"You there," I heard. I turned 180 degrees. Officer Jenny was headed my direction, her mightyena following close behind. She stopped and looked Cali and me up and down. Her big black dog sat at her feet, not taking its eyes off of me.

After a few awkward seconds of being studied, she nodded. "Are you Silverfield?" Her tone was sharp. I gulped and nodded. She faced Cali "And you, are you Fuega?" Cali looked away and nodded briskly. "Follow me," Officer Jenny said, and she made an abrupt about face and strut down the hallway. Cali and I exchanged looks, and then we followed.

Mew help me. What now?

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><p>I need some inboxed OC's for the coming chapters! This is your chance! My little brother can only come up with so many!<p> 


	4. A Mission

Hey guys! Sorry for the delay. School is really kicking my butt right now. I got this up as soon as I could. Please, comment! I could use some critique! Also, thank you to Zack who submitted the first OC! He should be happy to know that his character is now a permanent addtion to the story. You guys should submit one too! PM me your character! Thank you and enjoy!

Silverfield.

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><p>"So, you were the one that beat the Rocket in the battle this afternoon?" Officer Jenny asked.<p>

We were in the school's office. Cali and I sat in chairs in front of Principal Riffe's desk. But instead of the principal, we were talking to Officer Jenny. Principal Riffe was standing off to her right, fiddling with the buttons on his coat. Officer Jenny's mighteyena sat guarding the door behind us. Officer Jenny sat up straight in the chair, her hands clasped on the desk, her eyes never breaking contact with mine.

I swallowed. "Yes," I began, "You see he was being a jerk to Savannah so I challenged him to a battle, and I guess he just got flustered and I won." I said, not wanting to flatter my battling ability.

Officer Jenny saw right through it though. "You were quick and witty enough to intimidate a Rocket?" I nodded. She leaned back in her chair and ran her fingers through her blue hair. "Though he had probably not had much instruction, Carl must have been trained well enough for Team Rocket to trust him with their pokemon." She said, referring to the alakazam and weezing. "He was a well-trained Rocket, no doubt about that. Therefore, the police force believes you to be capable of carrying out a highly specialized and confidential task. Are you up for it?" She eyed me and I found myself shrinking under her gaze. I noticed this and made a point to sit up straighter.

"I will do whatever you require of me." I said bolder than I felt.

Cali couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Wait, what does this have to do with me?"

Officer Jenny smiled. "We had Mr. James Riffe here pull up the records of a few of Allora's friends. As we all know, life as a travelling trainer can be quite lonely. This is why you, Cali, have been chosen, along with one other, to accompany Allora on her mission." Cali gaped. Officer Jenny ignored her and continued. "We have noticed your skill with fire type pokemon and your close bond with Allora and have decided that you would be a valuable addition to this mission."

I was confused. "You said 'and one other'. Who else will be with us? And what the hell are we even doing anyway?" I asked bluntly.

Officer Jenny nodded with approval. "Straight to the point. That's good. Well, since you ask, the other who will be joining you just happens to be my son." My eyes widened. She chuckled. "Don't worry, he's not as scary as I am. It is a little known fact that my son goes to this school. It is even littler known that I myself used to go to this school." The room was silent with shock. Officer Jenny looked pleased with herself. "Yes, although I have followed in my mom's footsteps as a police officer, I wanted my son to be able to choose whatever he wished as a career. So I sent him to one of the best schools I could think of: Violet."

Violet Elementary, Middle, and High were in fact some of the best schools in all of Kanto, but none of us had any idea that Officer Jenny's son had gone here. We all sat silently, stunned at the news. I was the first one to speak.

"So, when do we get to meet him?" I asked. Jenny grinned.

"Jamie," she called. "You can come in now." The door behind me opened and I turned to look.

I recognized him immediately. He was in half of my classes. "Jamie?" I asked astounded. "Jamie Smith? You are Officer Jenny's son? The Officer Jenny?"

Jamie smiled. "Hello Al. Hi Cali." He nodded at each of us, then he looked at Officer Jenny.

"Mom," he said "Verde and Azul were getting anxious, so I returned them. I'll feed them when we get home." Wow, it was weird hearing Officer Jenny called "mom".

I took in Jamie. So this was the guy that would be accompanying Cali and I on this… adventure. He was taller than me with dark brown hair and piercing green eyes. He stood leaning most of his weight on his right leg, his thumb hooked in his jean pocket. He had on a bright green hoodie and green and white tennis shoes. He was also the only person I had ever seen address Officer Jenny so casually.

"That's fine. Make sure they get some rest tonight, the rest of your life begins tomorrow." Officer Jenny said. Jamie nodded. He glanced at Cali and me.

"I'll meet you guys tomorrow by the Poke-center and we can start heading for Diglett's Cave. That will bring us close to Pallet." He said.

"Wait, wait, wait. Where are we even going?" I asked. "What are we doing? All I know is that we are on a mission. I don't know what it is or where I'm going and I'm not leaving until I get some answers!" I yelled. I realized that I was digging my nails into the blue fabric on the arms of the chair and relaxed my grip.

"Okay, okay. Here's the deal." Officer Jenny sighed. "Jamie, why don't you take a seat, this could take a while." Jamie rolled up a metal chair from the corner of the room and sat next to Cali. Officer Jenny once again leaned forward and clasped her hands together. "The police have a plan, Allora, but we can't do it without you.

You see, we have decided that the only way to take down Rocket once and for all is to bring together the original Dex-holders. But, as you know, nearly all of them have disappeared, along with their pokemon. Most just to avoid the publicity. Ash Ketchum is the only one whose location is known, but he lives at the summit of Mt. Silver. Only the Champions and Ash himself have ever made it to the top. Our only hope of bringing the original Dex-holders out of hiding/retirement is to let them see someone with potential working hard towards achieving our ultimate goal: getting rid of Rocket. If they were to see someone with enough spirit who actually had a chance standing up to Team Rocket, hopefully enough of them would decide to reappear and help that it would give us a fighting chance. Maybe even Ash himself will decide to help, if he could somehow be reached. As you have probably assumed by now, the person we have chosen who we believe has the best chance of accomplishing this is you, Allora."

I was still not convinced. "But why me?" I asked. "Why not the Champions? Combined, they could bring down Rocket, right?" But Officer Jenny was already shaking her head.

"The world must run smoothly, Allora, especially during times like this. If all four Champions were to suddenly disappear from the Elite Four, think about how the public would react! No, someone must be sent that is not politically or socially recognizable. Someone who is young enough and charismatic enough to win over the Dex-holders. Someone like you. Allora, you are perfect for this job." She smiled broadly at me.

It made sense. But it was a huge task to undertake! But after considering my options, I decided that this would not only be an awesome adventure, but it would make good use of my time. I nodded.

"Okay. So why Pallet Town? What's there?" I wondered.

"Pallet Town is home to Professor Gary Oak." Officer Jenny stated.

I gasped. "Professor Oak's grandson? _The_ Gary Oak? We are going to see him?"

Gary Oak is the most famous pokemon professor alive today. He followed easily in his grandfather's footsteps, and is one of the leaders in legendary pokemon research. He works in a lab in Pallet town, surrounded by some of the smartest scientists in the world.

Cali spoke up, her eyes glinting with curiosity. "Why Professor Oak? How can he help anything?"

"Good question," Officer Jenny said. "Professor Oak has dedicated most of his life to researching legendary pokemon. Recently, he has discovered that several legendaries appear to have disappeared; several religious groups that worship different legendary pokemon have come to him and complained of a decrease in, for lack of a better word, _substance_, in their religion."

"How is that?" I questioned.

"Well, for example, those who worship suicune in the Johto region have stated that the lake at which they have mass has been gathering scum on its surface; something that has never happened before." Officer Jenny said sadly. "Also, those who worship groundon at his cave in Hoenn have complained that several tunnels in the cave system have collapsed. These and other similar events have been reported all around the same time which also happens to be in the last year or so since the increase in Rocket activity." She looked at me expectantly.

I put it together in my head. "Professor Oak thinks that the Rockets are making the legendaries disappear? But how? That's impossible!" Officer Jenny shrugged her shoulders.

"The Professor has a hypothesis, but it has yet to be proven. He also thinks he has a solution, but he says that it requires the person whom we chose to go on our mission. He also says that you should have received something in your bag, Allora, that would be useful in his solution. Do you know what he's referring to?" She looked at me questioningly. Apparently Professor Gary Oak had kept her in the dark about this.

Cali and I made eye contact, and we each knew what the other was thinking. _The feathers_, I thought, and nodded slightly. Cali nodded back. I looked back at Officer Jenny.

"I know what you're talking about. I guess the Professor will help us find the purpose of the… items." I said. If Officer Jenny was disappointed at me not telling her what the items were, she showed no sign of it. I just had this nagging feeling that as few people should know about those feathers as possible.

"Good," she said and stood. "On your way to Pallet Town, help as many people as you can. Defeat as many Rockets as you encounter. Make yourself known to Kanto. The Dex-holders have to hear your name, and see your purpose. That is your ultimate goal." She looked me in the eye. "Trust your instincts Allora. They're usually right."

I nodded and stood up with Cali and Jamie. Officer Jenny nodded at us and I knew we were dismissed. The three of us walked out of the office together, discussing our plan.

"Well, Al and I already have money saved up," Cali said to Jamie. "Go ahead and bring whatever money you have with you though. We should all get our _P_20000 checks in the mail tomorrow. Hopefully combined, that should be enough to hold us for a while. Um, I think we should meet by the flag pole in front of the school. Then we can set off. Is that okay with you guys?" She asked. Jamie and I nodded.

"I have to ask," Jamie said as he turned to me. "What did the Champion give you that Professor Oak thinks would be able to take down Rocket?"

I looked over my shoulder. Officer Jenny and Principal Riffe were standing by the office, talking in angry whispers and occasionally looking at us. I picked up my pace and turned a corner in the hallway, only to be greeted by the sight of more cops performing their investigation.

"Now's not the place," I told Jamie. "Cali and I will explain when we meet you tomorrow." I pushed open the doors at the front of the school. I faced my two new companions. "Until tomorrow then?"

"Yeah!" Cali yelled. "I'm so pumped! Let's meet at… 10 o' clock? Sound good to you guys?"

"Sure," Jamie said. "I gotta head home. Bye Al, see ya later Cali." He nodded at me and Cali, then turned towards the city and walked away.

"Bye Jamie!" Cali and I said as he headed off.

"So, do you want to head home with me first or do you just want to just go home and rest?" I asked Cali as we started walking towards home. Cali lives in the suburbs south of Lavender, and I live to the southeast in the country part of town on the breeder's farm.

The school supplied pokemon to take students that don't live in the city home so their parents didn't have to send out their own pokemon. City kids just caught the subway. But for Cali, me, and almost 70 other students at the middle and high schools, bussing pokemon were the only way to travel. Because we had been held after school though, there was only one bussing pokemon left in the stables. The rapidash looked at Cali and me expectantly as we opened the stable door.

"Well, I should probably go home tonight and get some rest." She said. "But we can ride together!"

"I don't think we have much of a choice." I groaned. I got on first and settled into the saddle. Cali sat behind me and held on to my waist. The rapidash tossed its head and pawed at the ground. I pulled on its reins and directed it out of the stables and to the south. We set off towards Cali's house at a fast trot.

While we rode, Cali and I talked about the events of the day. The eevees, the feathers, the battle, Carl, Team Rocket, Officer Jenny, Professor Gary Oak, Jamie, and more. We started seeing fewer buildings and more trees as we went further and further from the school.

"He's kinda cute." Cali said after a lull in the conversation. We were almost to her house. I could see the entrance to her neighborhood coming up on our left.

"Who?" I asked.

"You know… Jamie." She said and grinned. "I can't wait for us to start traveling with him. You know how I like tall guys."

"Oh Arceus." I said and did a face-palm. Cali just laughed and jumped off the rapidash.

"I can find my way home from here. I'll see you at the school Al!" She said.

"Bye Cali, I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget to bring your check! Oh, and ask your mom if she will make us some of that Cherri Pie for the road!" I yelled after her. She did a thumbs-up and turned to head home.

I pulled on the reins of the rapidash. It snorted and turned around and we headed for my house. We stayed on the main road for a while and then turned off onto the small one-way road that led to the farm. It was a nice day, the sun was bright and the sky was cloudless. I watched as a flock of pidgey flew by. I let my mind wander, pondering the meaning of the mysterious feathers . Their use was unknown, their presence a mystery. I had no idea what they could be used for.

As I was thinking, I leaned back in the saddle and closed my eyes. The rapidash was at a walk now, and I didn't have to worry about directing it anymore because this road went straight to my house. It was almost like a big long driveway.

I was still daydreaming when I thought I could feel someone watching me. I opened one eye and glanced to my right. Both sides of the road were surrounded by forest. The sun was low in the sky and the forest was shady and dark. I heard a noise and opened both eyes and sat up straight in the saddle. I looked around nervously_. Must just be a pokemon_, I thought. _Man am I getting jumpy. This day has really put me on edge_. I was just about to relax again when:

"Ekans, poison sting!" someone yelled.

"Kaaaans!" hissed the giant purple snake as it lunged onto the road right in front of me. It shot out a spray of purple stingers at the rapidash. The rapidash reared and I flew out of the saddle and hit the ground hard. I was dazed and just laid on the ground for a second, seeing stars. I could hear scuffling all around me and the cries of the rapidash and ekans. I finally looked up.

There was a tall man wearing a big R on his chest standing down the road, shouting commands at the ekans. The rapidash was dodging and spitting fire from its mouth every once in a while. I instinctively felt at my sides for my pokeballs, but then I remembered that I had put them in my bag. And I had lost my bag when I was bucked out of the saddle. I looked around frantically for it until I saw it lying by a tree on the side of the road. I got to my hands and knees and began to crawl forward towards it, but the Rocket saw me.

"Ekans!" he commanded "Use slam! Don't let her get the bag!"

I was almost there. I saw the snake slithering towards me and I crawled faster and faster. I was reaching my hand out to grab it when _WHAM_!

I was thrown backwards, and my head smacked something hard. The snake had swiped me with its tail before I could reach my bag. I tried to stand but I felt as if I was swimming in syrup. Everything felt so sluggish. I opened my eyes and the whole world was spinning. I blinked and things came into focus. The rapidash was lying on the ground looking dazed, I think it was poisoned.

And the Rocket was holding my bag, smiling.

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><p>Please review! Don't forget to add to your favorites!<p> 


	5. Rescued

I'm sorry about the wait! I've been slightly delayed because of the ACT, but I should be getting back on track now that it's over. Don't forget, OC's are always welcome! Enjoy the chapter!

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><p>My ears were pounding as I lay on the ground, still in a daze, still wondering what had happened. How I had possibly let my guard down enough for this ambush. I watched the Rocket as he examined my bag with a smirk on his face. The ekans sat by the rapidash in a coil, watching the horse writhe in pain from its toxic attack.<p>

_I have to get to my pokeballs_, I thought. I stayed on the ground, pretending to be too disoriented to be a threat, as I tried to think of a plan. I knew I only had one shot. I was going to have to sprint towards the Rocket and tackle him before he could alert the ekans, while at the same time snatching up Sunny and Noche's pokeballs and calling them out. It was risky, but it was all I could come up with.

I was preparing myself to jump up and run when I heard a twig snap off to my right. I hesitated and, hoping the Rocket would be too distracted to notice, turned my head just slightly to look into the woods. I saw a pair of eyes staring back at me. The head that the eyes were connected to shook just slightly, and the person put their finger over their lips. Then they were gone.

I blinked. Was I just imagining things? I turned my gaze back to the Rocket. He hadn't seemed to be able to find what he was looking for by just searching through the bag, because he had dumped everything onto the ground and was shuffling through the items. He stopped searching when he saw what he wanted.

He smiled and was about to pick up the blue box when the world went black. A thick fog settled over the area.

"What the…" exclaimed the Rocket, though I couldn't see him. I heard some bumps, the ekans hissed and I heard a screech. I lay still, hoping nothing would hit me. I heard the sound of a scuffle, then a "Scy!" and a thud. The ekans screeched and something fell right next to my face and laid still. This was getting a little too close for comfort; I decided to move.

I got up and took a few uncertain steps. The darkness was letting up slightly, but the fog was as thick as ever. I continued walking for a few steps until my foot caught something and I fell face first into the dirt. It was useless, I was practically blind. Common sense told me to get to safety, but I couldn't let Sunny and Noche fall into the hands of the Rocket, or even the strange face in the woods.

I got to my knees and began to crawl. I could still hear the noises coming from in front of me, and hopefully that was where my bag was. I was almost there when… nothing. There was just silence. I froze, not sure where to turn. I could see no more than three inches in front of my nose. I was about to keep crawling, just hoping I would stumble upon my bag, when there was a flash of red light. A moment later I felt a strong blast of wind suddenly blow my hair back behind my head and thrust dirt into my eyes.

"Ah!" I exclaimed and fell backwards onto my butt. My eyes were stinging like hell, and I automatically began rubbing them. When I could open them again, I could see that the fog was cleared up. However, the world was blurry, like I was looking through frosted glass. I saw three shapes coming towards me, two big ones and a small one. The big ones were people sized and the little one was about the same size as a pidgey. I blinked my eyes a couple times rubbed them, and when I opened them again I could see clearly.

There was a scyther off to my left. It was a darker green than the ones I had seen in pictures and movies. It was standing hunched over with its bladed forearms still at the ready. Next to it was a boy who looked about 18 or 19. He had silvery purple hair and piercing violet eyes. He wore black jeans and a white T-shirt. His face was expressionless as he strode towards me. A murkrow sat perched on his shoulder, preening its opaque feathers.

I looked myself earlier. My skinny jeans were torn and dirt covered. My pink and orange blouse was surely ruined; it was torn it more than a few places. My left heel was broken (I was definitely going to have to start wearing tennis shoes when I started traveling) and my right one was missing. I was a mess.

I kicked off my shoe and quickly got to my feet. I could see beyond my savior a slumped shape on the dirt road. It was unmoving, and I could see the corner of a crimson R peeking out from behind an arm. I gulped and turned my eyes back to the person coming towards me.

He moved until he was just a few feet in front of me and looked me over. I could see his eyes taking me in and I felt vulnerable. I crossed my arms and stood motionless. Finally he spoke.

"Are you alright?" His voice was cold and emotionless, and he spoke slowly. He must have thought my hearing had been affected by my several collisions with the ground.

"I'm fine," I said carefully, not wanting to give too much away. I had no idea who this guy was or if I could trust him. We stared at each other for a few more silent moments, then he turned to the scyther.

"Tiji, get the lady's bag for her," he commanded. The pokemon headed towards my stuff and began placing the items back in one by one. The boy looked at me again.

"Who are you?" I blurted, unable to contain my curiosity any longer. He raised an eyebrow, amused. I swallowed, embarrassed by my outburst. He remained quiet for a few seconds, and I was scared that he wasn't going to answer, when he finally did.

"You can call me Erik," he said plainly. "That is Tiji," he said gesturing to the scyther. "This is Juez," he said pointing to his shoulder. The murkrow cawed as it heard its name, and went back to preening.

"And that," he said pointing behind me, "is Rimo." I turned to look and was greeted by a giant tongue licking me in my face.

"Ah!" I yelped and scrambled backward, nearly knocking Erik over. I murmured an apology and composed myself before looking back towards my attacker. A ghastly was floating a few meters in front of me, smiling a big toothy smile.

"Control yourself Rimo!" Erik commanded. Rimo frowned sadly and faded away.

"Don't worry about him," Erik said eying the spot where Rimo had just been, "he does that when he is scolded. You can thank him for subduing that Rocket, his night shade and hypnosis worked like a charm." He looked at me again. "I do not believe I know your name miss…?"

"Allora," I said instantly, then kicked myself. I barely knew this guy, I couldn't tell him my name! But something about him made me just want to keep talking…

"Why are you here? Why did you save me?" I wondered aloud. His eyes hardened as his guard went back up.

"I'm just traveling. I was passing by and I heard some commotion. When I saw what was happening, I decided to help. Is that a crime?" He asked coldly. I shook my head quickly, suddenly quite frightened. His tone softened, "Come, we should tend to your pokemon."

I watched him questioningly until I saw him head towards the rapidash. He thinks it's mine, I thought as I watched him kneel down next to the horse. I walked towards the scyther, which now had my bag hooked on its arm. I thanked it and took the bag, checking to make sure everything was there.

When I turned back around, the rapidash was already on its feet, staring into Erik's eyes. That's strange, I thought, I didn't see him use an antidote. I watched as Erik looked at the horse for a few more seconds, then turned and looked directly at me. I quickly averted my eyes, embarrassed at being caught staring.

"Ughh… uhhhhhh…" I heard coming from behind me. I turned. The Rocket was shifting slightly and moaning. I hesitated, considered my options, and decided to approach him. I could sense Erik behind me following and watching. I walked quickly to his side.

He rolled onto his back and moaned. I gasped. He was just a kid! Probably 13 years old! At first I was shocked, but it made sense that Team Rocket would try to recruit kids; the more naïve the better. The boy's eyes twitched and opened slightly. When he looked up he cringed. Confused, I looked around and saw that Erik had appeared at my side. I looked back at the kid, who was shaking as he stared at Erik.

"Please, please don't hurt me!" he whimpered. "I just needed the money for my ma!" He looked pleadingly at me. "Please, don't let him make the darkness again! I'll go home, I won't tell anyone!"

The darkness? I thought. He must mean hypnosis. I looked back at Erik, who was staring coldly at the boy.

"We should turn him in," Erik said plainly, "That way he can't let Team Rocket know where your home is." He looked at me expressionlessly, waiting for my approval. I looked back at the young boy. He was crying now, shying away from Erik and me. He looked back at us.

"Please don't make me go to jail! My ma couldn't live without me battlin' for money. Please! We're poor, I promise I'll go right home! Please…" He was sobbing. I lowered my eyes to my shoes, thinking. I felt so bad for him, and I doubted he would say anything. He was absolutely terrified of Erik and the "darkness".

"Look at me," I commanded. His wet eyes met mine. "Get up." He rolled to his stomach and grunted as he struggled to his feet. He faced me after he stood. I could feel Erik tense up at my side.

"Are these pokemon yours?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No, miss. My growlith is at home. Clara gave me the ekans and this zubat and told me to rob students comin' home from school. She said one of them might have somethin' important in their bag." An alarm went off in my head, but I kept my face composed.

The boy began crying again. "She said if I got enough stuff Team Rocket would provide for me and ma as long as I stayed loyal. I'm not a bad person. Please, don't take me to jail! Ma won't make it without me makin' any money, I promise I'll go right home and start trainin' again. I'll be good, honest!"

Erik took a step forward. "Come on, boy. It's time to go." He sneered. He grabbed the kid's wrists and roughly twisted them behind his back. The boy let out a sharp cry of pain. I reacted without thinking. I lunged forward and broke Erik's grasp on the kid. Erik looked shocked and stepped back. I rounded on him.

"What are you thinking!" I yelled. "Can't you see he's just a kid?"

Erik eyed me, amused. "I can see much more than that. Trust me, Allora, it's best this way." He started to move forward again. I stepped to block him.

"He's just a kid," I repeated, annoyed, "He deserves a chance!" Erik stared me down for a second. He seemed to be having an internal battle with himself. Finally, he sighed and bowed his head.

"Fine. You handle it. But, I'm warning you, this is a bad decision." I ignored him as I turned back to the boy. He looked more frightened than ever. I bent my knees to look him in the eyes.

"The first thing I want you to do," I said, "is recall your ekans. I want you to then head straight home. Do you know how to get there from here?" He nodded. "Good. Go home and train and make your money the honest way, okay? This is a warning." He nodded his head vigorously, absorbing every word I said.

He reached into his belt and pulled out a pokeball. He enlarged it and I gasped. It was unlike any ball I had ever seen! It was bright blue and green, with a black circle on the top. The ball hummed as the boy threw it in the air and recalled his ekans. He started to put it away. I glanced at Erik. He was standing rigid, his eyes not moving from the pokeball.

"Wait a second," I said, "can I see that?" I held my hand out, and the boy placed the ball into my palm. It buzzed with some kind of electric energy. As I held it, my hand started to tingle. I handed it back to the kid.

"What kind of pokeball is that?" I asked.

"Is it different from other ones?" he wondered. "I just thought it had a fancy paint job. Why? What's wrong with it?" He was still holding it in his palm.

"Isn't your hand starting to turn numb?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"No… it feels normal." He looked at me confused. "I'm pretty sure Team Rocket just designed some new paint job for their pokeballs to make them unique."

I bit my lip, puzzled. I should probably get one of these pokeballs for the police to examine, but I would feel foolish if there was nothing strange about them. But, then again, if they were somehow different, I would feel more foolish for not bringing one to them. One look at Erik's pale face and I knew what I had to do.

"I'm going to need to take that pokeball from you," I said hesitantly to the boy. He stiffened.

"But… this is my ekans! They gave him to me!" he exclaimed. I sighed. How was I going to convince him that something was wrong with that pokeball? No matter my sympathies towards the kid, the police needed to have a look at this ball. I tried a different tactic.

"Look," I said, "It is really important that we have that pokeball, and the one for your zubat too! If you don't hand it over, I won't hesitate to take you to jail." He flinched and looked at the ground. My voice softened. "Look, this ekans isn't really yours. It belongs to Team Rocket. If they decided to stop using you –yes, using you! - to rob pedestrians, do you really think they would let you keep their pokemon?" He didn't look up, but I saw his fists clench.

"She's right," Erik said suddenly. I looked at him; he was staring at the kid, an unreadable expression on his face. "These pokemon are not right. They are not normal. Team Rocket has made them evil. They are not your friends." He glanced at me, then back to the kid. "Give Al the balls so we can help these pokemon become good again. It is better for both them and you." For some reason, I didn't mind that he called me Al.

After a few silent moments, the boy looked up at me. He had tears on his cheeks. "But, it's dangerous in the woods without a pokemon miss, what am I going to do?" Crap. He had a point. Erik started to say something but I had a sudden idea and interrupted.

"My parents own a breeder's farm!" I declared, happy that I had found a solution. "Sometimes trainers don't want the eggs that their pokemon have and they leave the eggs with us. My parents are always giving away hatched pokemon to worthy trainers. We have tons of them roaming around in the fields. If I got you one to take home with you, would you give us the pokeballs?"

"Are you sure showing him where you live is such a good idea?" Erik said coldly.

"What do you think is going to happen? I'm pretty sure if he decided to try to rob my house my parents could handle him." I said.

"It's not him I'm worried about…" Erik said softly, but I didn't hear him. I was already talking to the boy.

"Now give me the pokeballs, and once you do, follow me down the road. I'll get you a pokemon sufficient enough to get you home. Deal?" He nodded. I smiled and held out my hand. He placed the now minimized ekans' ball and the zubat's ball into my palm. Even when minimized, the tingling feeling was just as strong. I quickly opened my bag and put them in a separate pocket. I zipped my bag up and turned to the rapidash.

"You can go now, I'm close enough to home and I'm sure you need a rest. You did great," I told the fire pokemon. It snorted, fire spurting from its nostrils, and took a step towards the boy.

I held my hands up and took a step towards it. "Woah, it's okay. He's fine now. I can handle myself. Go on back to the school now, I'll be fine," I commanded. I swear it rolled its eyes as it turned tail and headed back down the road. I turned around and saw Erik staring at me.

I blushed. "What?" I demanded. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Nothing, just thinking about something," He said. I blushed a deeper red and quickly turned towards the boy.

"Now," I said, "you are going to follow me. I'm not sure if my parents are home or not, so stand at the edge of the forest when we come to the clearing. I'll get you a pokemon that I think would be a great companion with you. Train with it and earn money the right way; not robbing people. Deal?" I asked. He nodded. That settled, I turned to Erik.

"Thank you, for saving me." I said hesitantly. He stared at me silently, and I began to feel uneasy, almost frustrated. I tried to clear my head.

"You're a great trainer…" I said leadingly. "I know how lonely training can be. Um, mee and some friends are starting our own paths tomorrow, if, you know, maybe you…"

"I'll think about it." He interrupted, still expressionless. I sighed with relief. Normally, asking someone that kind of thing wouldn't have been a big deal for me. I just couldn't put my finger on why asking him was so hard.

"Okay, great. Um, we are meeting in front of Violet High tomorrow at 10… and make sure you bring money, and your pokemon, and your bag, and…"

"I said I would think about it," He repeated. "I know what an adventure requires. I am not an idiot. If I decide to come, I will be there. If not, farewell Al." And with that, he turned around and walked away towards the road, his pokemon following behind.

Something about him treating me like that, treating me like a child, just infuriated me. "Fine then!" I yelled after him. "If you're gonna be rude, I don't want you to come at all!" He continued walking. "And don't call me Al!" I said, still trying to get a reaction out of him. He just kept walking away. I sighed and turned in the direction of my house, the boy on my right. "Come on kid," I said, defeated. We started walking, when I heard a voice coming from behind me.

"But I thought you did not mind your friends calling you Al?" It said. I whirled around.

But he was already gone.

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><p>Who is the mysterious Erik? ;) Until next time!<p>

Silverfield


	6. Gifting a Friend

Sorry about the timing! This is a slow chapter, but important! More action coming in Chapter 9! Thanks so much to those who have reviewed with constructive criticism, it is much appreciated. Don't worry, all of your questions will be answered eventually. Muahahaha

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><p>Our feet crunched the gravel and leaves under us as we trudged towards my house. Sunny and Noche ran ahead, pouncing on each other and on patches of sunlight that danced on the road, shining though the shifting tree leaves. I walked at a leisurely pace; I knew this road like the back of my hand. The boy walking next to me was silent; the only sound escaping from him was the occasional sniffle.<p>

I felt bad for him. Even though he _had_ tried to rob me of everything I owned. He was just a kid! I was sure I was doing the right thing. Giving him one of our pokemon from the farm that we usually end up releasing anyway wouldn't be that big of a deal, I was sure of it. These were my thoughts as we approached the clearing where my house was located.

I glanced towards the boy again. He had kept his head down the whole walk, and I felt like a warden leading him down the green mile in silence. He must have been so upset!

I swallowed, then tried for some conversation. "So," I began, "what's your name?" There was a moment of silence, and I was afraid he wasn't going to answer when he raised his head.

"It's Tom." He said quietly. He looked at me. "I'm really sorry about earlier, I don't remember if I apologized yet. But I really am." His eyes became wet, and I spoke up quickly.

"Don't worry about it," I said, "people do things they wouldn't normally do when they're desperate. What's wrong with your ma?" I asked. "Is she sick?"

He looked down again. "She just hasn't been the same since my dad died…" was all he said. He sniffled again, and I swallowed. I felt like I had pried enough, so I let him be.

Sunny and Noche approached the clearing and stopped, turning to me to see if continuing on was okay. I caught up to them and unlatched the lock on the privacy fencing that surrounded the farm. When the gate opened I was greeted with the relaxing sight of home. I sighed and took in the view.

My house was located directly in the center of the clearing, with different pokemon habitats surrounding it. The water pokemon had their lake and beach, and the fire pokemon had their heated rocks. The grass pokemon played in the field at the front of the farm; the field that Sunny and Noche were currently navigating to reach my home. I could see that the only car that we owned was not in the driveway, which meant that my parents were out, probably buying groceries for my graduation dinner tonight. I smiled to myself, and started down the path to my house. Tom started to follow me, but I stopped him.

"Now, our car is gone, and I'm pretty sure my parents are gone, but one of them might still be home. Sit under that tree," I pointed to a big leafy one just outside the fence, "and I'll be right back. It's not safe wondering around the woods alone, so don't go anywhere." I commanded. He nodded and turned back to walk towards the forest. I nodded to myself and turned back towards my house, closing the gate before heading home.

I walked down the path through the grass pokemon habitat. Noche was almost to the house, but Sunny was still in the field. I could see her little ears poking out of the grass. I sighed and called for her.

"Sunny! Come on, we don't have all day!" I called. She came bouncing out of the grass onto the path, followed closely by an oddish. The grass pokemon was smiling and running around Sunny in circles. I smiled.

"Okay buddy, you can follow us too. I'll even give you a treat!" I cooed to the leafy pokemon.

"Oddish!" it exclaimed, and followed Sunny as she ran towards the house. Noche was already at the door, pawing at it to be let inside. I walked up the wooden steps to the front door. I bent down and lifted up the corner of the butterfree doormat and got out the extra key, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.

Our house is not like a regular house. It is first and foremost a place of business. When you walk inside the front door (which is left unlocked during business hours), the first thing you see is the waiting room. There is tile floor just in case any pokemon have an "accident". The walls are painted a sunny yellow, and the chairs are navy and cushioned.

The front desk is three sided, with the fourth side being the wall with a door leading back into the interior of the building. There is also a door on the right side of the desk, and this is the door that I use to get back into the "home" part of the house.

I stopped by the desk, Sunny, Noche, and the oddish at my heels. There was a note on the desk written on a blue post-it. It was in my mom's handwriting.

_Al,_

_Gone to the mart for some pokefood, and then to the grocery for some people food! Be back soon!_

_3 Mom_

Good. That gave me enough time to find a pokemon for Tom. I reached behind the desk into the bulbasaur-shaped box that we kept the treats in. Usually, the treats were for misbehaving pokemon to keep them entertained, but all of the pokemon enjoyed them. I grabbed three and tossed them into the air.

"Here you go guys," I said, and watched them gobble the treats up. While they ate and played in the lobby, I typed the passcode and opened the door that led to the interior of the house. I walked down the hallway, past the stairs that led to my room, all the way to the back of the house. A sliding door opened onto the back porch, and there was a door on my right that led to the kitchen. The door on my left, however, was the one I took. I turned the metal handle and pushed inward.

Six different incubators stood in the center of the room. Two of them contained eggs of different colors, and the heat lamps gave off a yellow glow. Surrounding the eggs was a giant wall of pokeballs. When eggs appeared in the different pokemon nests around the farm, my parents offer them to the trainer who's pokemon laid them. Occasionally, the trainers say no; sometimes because they don't want to take the time to hatch it, other times because they simply don't want another pokemon of that kind. When that happens, my parents gladly take the eggs, hatch them, and raise the pokemon that come out.

Occasionally, trainers come to our house looking for a specific kind of pokemon. To these trainers, my parents sell the pokemon that they have raised, usually for good money. However, occasionally my dad gifts pokemon for birthdays, or gives them to trainers he has taken a liking to. My dad likes to think that he can see potential in people, and he only gifts pokemon to those "special" trainers that he "discovers." But he's not as good at discovering prodigies as he thinks; the last trainer he gifted a pokemon to because he "sensed something in them" was named Andrew. He was never able even to beat even the primary eight gyms needed to compete in the Elite Four. He did however turn out to be quite remarkable at making poffins in the Sinnoh Region. He always sends us a box around my dad's birthday.

I stepped into the room and headed straight for the wall of pokeballs. The wall was organized based on type; my parents had slots for every type known to science. Within each type column, there were shelves that were labeled with different pokemon names. The pokeballs were lined up in single file rows, one row per kind. Think of the way soda cans are lined up in a vending machine.

Most of the pokeballs in the room contained very common pokemon: rattatas, pidgeys, caterpies, weedles, etcetera. My parents almost always released the common ones when they became old enough to look after themselves. Some of the pokeballs contained more rare kinds of pokemon. These pokemon my parents reserved for gifts and selling. Occasionally, they got an extremely rare pokemon, and these they trained and kept for themselves, to breed from and keep in their collection. You could tell if a row contained rare or common pokemon based on the number of pokeballs in it.

I went straight for the most common pokemon, the ones I knew my parents wouldn't miss. I just hoped they wouldn't mind me gifting a pokemon based on my own judgment. Hopefully picking one that we had tons of would do the trick.

I figured that since Tom had had experience dealing with poison types, picking a poison type to be his new companion would be a smart move. I went to the row with the most balls in the poison section. I selected the one in front and read the name on the label.

Male Nidoran, the label said. I smiled. _Perfect_, I thought, and threw the ball into the air.

"Come on out!" I said, and with a flash of red light, a purple rabbit appeared on the floor in front of me. He squinted his eyes and looked up at me.

"How would you like to go on an adventure?" I said in my talking-to-a-baby voice. He sat up on his hind legs and sniffed the air. After a few seconds, he squinted his eyes happily. "Nido!" he squeaked.

"Great!" I said. "Now let's see what moves you know." I took my Pokedex out of my bag and pushed the button. The screen slid out of the top, and the two doors snapped open to reveal the keyboard. I aimed the sensor at the nidoran's pokeball and held down the RECORD button. After a few seconds, there was a beep, and a picture of the nidoran appeared on the screen. By scanning the nidoran's ball, the Pokedex registered it as "caught," and I received full data for it:

NIDORAN, THE POISON PIN POKEMON. THOUGH SMALL, ITS HORN IS FILLED WITH POISON. IT HAS DEVELOPED MUSCLES IN ITS LARGE EARS, AND IT CONSTANTLY MOVES THEM IN EVERY DIRECTION TO DETECT DANGER.

The Pokedex said that the nidoran knew the moves poison sting, peck, and growl, and was level 12. Just high enough to get Tom back home. I hoped that this pokemon would become friends with Tom and hopefully keep him out of trouble.

Sunny peeked her head around the door as the male nidoran was sniffing around. When she saw him, she squeaked and bounded in, running right over towards him to talk. The two began murmuring in their own language. Noche came in a few seconds later, followed by the oddish. When he saw the nidoran, he froze and narrowed his eyes. He turned sideways to make himself appear bigger and slowly walked to my side, never taking his eyes off of the purple rabbit.

I laughed. "Come on Noche, don't be such a bully. Return," I said and held up his pokeball. He disappeared in a flash of red. I looked around at the three on the floor. "Come on, guys," I said, "Time to go outside. Go on, out." I waved my hands towards the door and shooed them out of the incubation room.

We left my house and headed down the path back towards the woods. As we neared the exit I recalled the nidoran and minimized its ball. I opened the gate, making sure Sunny stayed back inside, and stepped out into the forest. I shut the gate behind me, so none of the pokemon would run off.

Tom was sitting under the tree off to my right. He had been toying with a leaf he found on the ground, but paused when he saw me come through the gate. As I approached him, he stood.

"Now," I began, "you do know how to get home from here, right?" He nodded. "Good. I found you a pokemon. Now it may be stupid of me to do this, but I am trusting you to take good care of him, and train him well. I have a good feeling that you will become strong one day, and that you will take good care of him. Am I right?" I questioned.

"Oh, yes miss. I promise I'll be real good to him." He said, nodding his head over and over.

"Good. Here you are," I said as I handed him the minimized ball. He quickly enlarged it and tossed it in the air.

"Let's go!" He shouted. With a flash of light the nidoran appeared on the ground. It scratched its long ear and looked up at me.

"This is your trainer. You need to help him get home safely and take care of him when he gets home. Okay?" It squeaked and ran over to Tom, who laughed and picked it up.

"I love him already!" Tom said. "Thank you so much miss. I'll do right by him, promise." He said firmly. I smiled.

"Good. Well, go on. Your mom is probably looking for you. Are you gonna take the subway once you reach the city?"

"Yep!" He said with a smile, scratching behind the nidoran's ears. "I think I'll call you… Nike. Do you like that?" He asked the nidoran. Nike squeaked for the millionth time. "I think that's a yes." Tom looked up at me. "Thank you, again. I promise I'll be better."

"Well, you be careful." I said meaningfully. He nodded once more, and turned to leave, still holding  
>Nike in his arms. I smiled to myself, feeling accomplished. Feeling proud to have helped someone. I went to walk back into the fence, but had a sudden impulse.<p>

"Tom!" I shouted, taking my bag off and unzipping the front pocket. He turned around, confused. I took out an empty pokeball and threw it to him. "You can never make too many friends!" The pokeball hit the ground and rolled towards him. He stopped it with his feet and picked it up with one hand, still holding Nike.

"I'll remember that!" He yelled, faintly. "Thank you!" We smiled at each other for a few more seconds, then I turned around and headed back through the gate. I would never in a million years predicted the circumstances of our next encounter.


	7. Together Again

Sorry again about taking so long! I typed up this whole chapter and then CRASH my computer decided to die. Its a nice long chapter though so enjoy!

I dont own pokemon, but i wish.

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><p>I laid in bed and closed my eyes, wishing for a jigglypuff to come and sing me to sleep. Sunny raised her head, yawned, and then fell back asleep. I, on the other hand, was too wound up to do the same, so I replayed the day's events in my head.<p>

After I had given Nike to Tom, I went home and returned Sunny and Noche to their balls. I then headed upstairs to finish packing my bag with what I would need for traveling: a flashlight, sleeping bag, lighter, my money, and socks, to name a few things. I reluctantly realized that I would not be as comfortable walking everywhere in my heels as I would in tennis shoes. I cringed a little as I took my black booties off and placed them lovingly in the back of my closet. As I closed my closet door, a piece of my soul became closed off as well; Mama won't ever forget her babies!

I was almost finished packing when I heard the car roll up in the driveway. My heart had jumped when I heard the gravel crackle under the tires. Until that moment, I had not thought about just how nervous I was to tell my parents about my decision to become a trainer; well, mainly to tell them about my decision _not_ to become a breeder.

We ate dinner (Steak and Broccoli with Bluk Berry Pie, yum!) and I talked the whole time, relaying exactly what had happened at the school, separating the truth from the rumors floating around town and on national television. When it came time to tell them my decision, things went better than I had thought.

My dad simply asked what I had decided, and I simply told him. Both of my parents were silent for a few seconds, which had worried me. But, eventually Dad said he believed I could do whatever I set my mind to, and he claimed to have faith in me, though making it very clear that if I couldn't make it as a trainer I could always come back and study to take over the family business. My mom said she would be proud me no matter what, a smile painted on her face while she said it.

My favorite part of the night was when I introduced them to Sunny and Noche. Dad acted very shocked. He proceeded to tell me a very interesting bit of information.

Apparently, around 20 years ago, soon after the time the Rockets were disbanded, eevees began going missing. Before then, they were a favorite of breeders around the world. No wonder I had never seen one! They started disappearing from the wild, and becoming harder and harder to find. Soon, even their evolutions became scarce. Virtually all of the eeveelutions that trainers today had were too old to make eggs anymore. Dad said that it had been almost ten years since he had seen an eevee, and he carefully examined both Sunny and Noche.

It turned out that they were both too young to have eggs. Dad checked their coats and weights and said they both were in perfect health. Mom's eyes teared up as she held Sunny and scratched her ears. Noche had a staring contest with Pretty as they sized each other up. Eventually, Pretty tackled Noche to the floor and the two got into a friendly wrestling match.

By the time all of that excitement was over, it was extremely late. Mom gave me a hug and told me she loved me, and dad handed me a box wrapped in wailord wrapping paper. I opened it and took out the pokeball and cd within. The cd was an HM: cut. The first HM awarded to beginning trainers. The pokeball, however, was strange. It was black with gold trim, and it was empty. Dad said it was called a luxury ball, and explained that it increased the bond of friendship with a pokemon. He apologized for not getting me two; he didn't know that I had received two pokemon.

I went upstairs after thanking them for my gifts. I thought long and hard about which pokemon I would move to the luxury ball, and finally decided on Noche. Sunny seemed more carefree than him, and I felt that she would understand and not become jealous like Noche would have. As compensation to her, however, I promised that she could sleep in bed with me until I obtained a second luxury ball. I had no idea if she would understand anything I said, but she seemed to, for as soon as I said she could sleep in bed with me, she dove under the covers and squeaked excitedly.

Before I shut my lamp off, I made sure to stick my pokell on the charger so it would be ready to go tomorrow morning.

Pokell are amazing new inventions that have only been really catching on over the last few years, when they began to take on some of the characteristics of the old pokegears. Pokell are used more for social connections now than anything. Originally, they were just for business purposes, but they really became big when they started connecting to social networking sites and being used by young people just for fun. People use them now as cordless telephones, music players, mini computers and more.

Mine was about the size of an index card, and it was just one big touch screen. There were two buttons on either side of the pink rectangle that performed different functions like unlocking it, scrolling through messages, or even to play games. I plugged the cord into the bottom of it and sent Cali a quick message before turning it off.

_See u 2moro 10! Nite!_

I pressed the blue "send" key on the touch screen, waited for the beep, then pressed the two buttons simultaneously to lock the screen. I threw on my rapidash t-shirt, crawled under the covers, and shut off my lamp.

So I laid in bed, thinking about my day, trying to catch some shuteye. Rain thudded on the roof and thunder cracked in the distance. It didn't help that I was brontophobic (scared of storms)! Thunderstorms were terrifying to me; I had been scared of them since I was a little girl. This one sure wasn't helping my sleepless situation. Eventually, I resorted to counting mareep, and fell right asleep.

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><p><em>The mist was thick and I could barely see. Silvery swirls mixed with red smoke. I reached my hand out in front of me as I walked forward. There were flashes of light coming from all around me, of all different colors. <em>

_There was laughter to my right, high pitched and taunting. I whirled around, but there was only mist again._

"_The connection won't be strong enough for some time, unless you do something," a female voice echoed. "Your meeting was very convenient."_

"_I cannot take that chance," said another voice, male this time. "I am not strong enough. Besides, it would mess up your plans if I were to make myself known. You must know that."_

"_He is right. We must leave it up to time. We mustn't mess with the future," said a third voice, again male._

_Then all was black, and sound became silence_

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><p>It was almost eight thirty when I woke the next morning. I blinked my eyes a few times to clear my head of the misty remains of my strange dream. Sunny was still snoring right by my feet, and she only shifted a little under my blue and pink comforter as I stood. I made my way towards the bathroom, stretching my arms up over my head and yawning. I stared myself down in the mirror as I brushed my teeth, then I turned the shower on hot. As hot as it would go; I didn't know when I would next be able to take a hot shower! I went back into my room as the water warmed up and let Noche out of his ball.<p>

He yawned and looked up at me. "You can go back to sleep for a while if you want. But I want you to keep Sunny company in case she wakes up and I'm in the shower. Okay?" I asked him. His eyes drooped and he yawned again. I picked him up and placed him next to Sunny under the covers.

After my shower, I put on my outfit for my first day. I had had this outfit picked out for weeks now, and I was itching to show it off. I wore jean capris and a frilly yellow shirt with three-quarter sleeves. I also had on my brand new pair of tennis shoes, with yellow and pink polka-dots and black laces. As I stood at my dresser putting on my sun-shaped earrings, I heard a tiny yawn and saw movement under the covers.

Soon, both pokemon were up and moving around my room as I finished getting ready. Sunny watched as I did my hair as Noche admired my figurines of the legendaries sitting on my shelf by the window. I had almost all of them; the only ones missing were Dialga, Mew, and Groundon. I even had a limited edition Arceus, which had been released the year the newest Champion of Kanto, Kelli, was crowned.

I pulled my hair back into a ponytail after flat-ironing it. I finished my look by swooping my bangs just over my left eye and pinning them back with a studded clip. I looked down at Sunny.

"How do I look?" I asked, striking a pose.

"Eevee!" she said excitedly and ran out into my room to run in circles on the carpet.

"I'll take that as a 'You look great, Al!'" I said laughing. I walked out into my room and looked it over for the last time. I tried to take in as many details as I could before I left; I had no idea when I would be home again.

My bag was heavier than yesterday as I slung it onto my shoulders. I checked to make sure I had everything I needed (money… sleeping bag… check!) I returned both Sunny and Noche and snapped their pokeballs into two of the six slots in my belt. I put the four extra pokeballs I had in my bag in the empty slots, just in case I needed one to make a quick catch. I checked to make sure that I had my immediate belongings in my pockets (pokell… Pokedex… got it.) Then I shut off the lights in my room and headed out the door.

Mom had made chocolate chip pancakes for me that Saturday morning. I ate them slowly, enjoying my last taste of home for who knew how long. Mom and I made idle conversation as she made herself a cup of Rawst berry tea (her throat had been enflamed lately.) Dad came in right as I finished eating, and he and Mom walked me to the door.

Mom immediately broke down into a fit of overdramatic tears. Dad rolled his eyes (which were also a little wet, tough guy) and gave me a hug. Mom, after several deep breaths, finally composed herself.

"Your father and I love you very much, Allora," she began. "If you ever need anything, just call us and we will be right there. In fact, even if you don't need anything, just call us. Don't… don't hesitate to come home baby, okay? Please come back and visit?" She was starting to cry again.

"Mom," I laughed, "I'll come visit, I promise. Maybe not at first, but once I get licensed to Fly I'll visit as much as I can." I gave her a hug.

She sniffled. "I'll hold you to that," she said, muffled into my shoulder.

So, it was with Mom's tears still fresh on my shirt that I closed the gate to our farm and began the 20-minute walk to school. I released both Sunny and Noche as soon as I got off our property for some extra protection; I wasn't about to let myself get snuck up on again!

As I walked, I messaged Cali. _R u on ur way? Meet me the road trning into ur neighborhood wen u can._

Cali was already there as I turned the corner heading down the street. She waved when she saw me coming up. Sunny bounded ahead and immediately began to pounce on Flare's fiery tail. Noche calmly paced beside me, seemingly deep in thought.

"Hey girl!" Cali shouted when I got close enough. She began to walk towards me, Sam, Flare, and Sunny following close behind. "You'll never believe what happened yesterday. Sam learned that will-o-wisp move! Pretty great right?" She turned as I came up beside her and fell into step with me. "So what's up? How did everything with your parents go yesterday?"

"Oh, that went fine," I answered. "But wait til you hear what happened to me after I dropped you off." I then proceeded to relay my interesting evening, starting with the strange sounds in the forest.

"And then I gave him the nidoran. We talked for a few more seconds, and then he took off towards the road. The nidoran really seemed to like him," I finished as we rounded another corner. We were coming up close on the school.

Cali's expression had been animated throughout the entire story. Now she looked confused. "Were your parents okay with you just… giving that nidoran away?"

"Well…" I began. "When I told Dad, he seemed fine with it." Last night during dinner I had told my parents that I had a friend who needed a poison type pokemon for a project. I told Dad that I had given him one of our male nidoran based on my own judgment, and he seemed fine with that. I said nothing about my experience in the woods, I didn't want Dad to think that I was already getting myself in that kind of trouble before I had even started my real adventure. He would have never let me leave the house. I told Cali about my white lie.

"Besides," I concluded. "He seemed like a good enough kid. He seemed to really care about his growlith back home. Plus, the nidoran I gave away was one of our 'extras' anyway. Everything will be fine," I said.

"Well, it's whatever," Cali said as we took another turn. Our pokemon walked in front of us, staying on the sidewalk. After Sunny had been scolded just once for running into the road, all four pokemon decided that it would be smarter just to stay on the path.

"So… who is this Erik guy?" she asked, intrigued. I looked at my feet.

"I don't really know. He was really… kind of standoffish. Like, I don't think he laughed once while I was with him, though that could have just been because of the situation," I admitted.

Cali snorted. "Well, I don't mind if he comes along… as long as he pulls his own weight." We took another turn and suddenly the school was visible.

"Hey, look over there!" Cali exclaimed. I squinted. I could see Jamie sitting on a bench by the flagpole. A little green pokemon was running around on the concrete, but I couldn't make out what it was. Cali and I picked up our pace.

"Leave it to Jamie to be early, cop's kid," I said rolling my eyes. I don't think Cali heard me though, she had this big dopey smile on and was beginning to pull away from me.

"Woah there!" I said. She slowed down and laughed sheepishly. "Just play it cool, kay?"

"Yeah, sorry. I'm just excited to see his reaction to your little story!"

"Oh, yeah, sure that's the only reason?" I prodded. She laughed but made no reply.

Finally we reached the school. There was a bulbasaur out on the concrete. It had stopped running and was now sunning itself in the sun. The mist from the fountain felt good as the breeze washed it over us.

"Hey, Cali. Hi, Allora," Jamie said and stood up.

Cali giggled ridiculously. I rolled my eyes. "You know, Jamie, you can call me Al, seeing as we are going to be together for quite a while,"

"Alright, got it," he said. He turned his head. "Verde! Come here and meet some new friends!" he called. I looked. The bulbasaur was running over in our direction, bounding over in little hops and each time it landed it punctuated its landing with a "saur!"

"Saur! Saur! Saur! Saur!" I heard as it approached our little pow-wow. I laughed.

"Not very quiet is…"

"He," Jamie said, laughing as well. "Yeah it's a boy. His name's Verde, and no, he is not quiet at all."

"Saur! Saur! Saur!" I laughed harder. The little thing bounced right into the center of the circle and did a little spin.

"Char?" questioned Flare. She padded up to the bulbasaur and stared at it for a second. Then she closed her eyes and offered a claw, almost like a handshake. "Charmander."

Verde grinned and extended a single green vine from his back and shook Flare's hand. We all laughed. The other three pokemon came up to Verde to sniff around, and soon they were all getting along, goofing off, and making us laugh.

"You all might as well meet Azul too, he's in the fountain. He's pretty shy though so be quiet as you come up on him," Jamie said after we had all calmed down. We walked over to the fountain and glanced in. I picked up Noche and placed him on the edge of the fountain. Jamie got Verde up there, but the two fire pokemon and Sunny weren't having any of it. All three of them bounced just out of our grasp when we tried to pick them up so they could see.

I looked at Cali and shrugged. She laughed. "Fire pokemon, doesn't matter how much you train them, you can't train them to like water."

We turned our attention to the water. A little blue spike came out of the water, followed by a few others, and a little head. A horsea stuck its head out of the water and saw Jamie.

"Horsea!" it exclaimed. But as soon as it noticed Cali and me, it ducked its head back under the water. My feelings were a little hurt, and I could tell Cali's were too, but Jamie just laughed.

"Don't feel bad, he's never really liked people. Well, not anyone besides me and Mom." He sat down on the edge of the fountain, swirling his fingers through the water. "Azul got caught in a poacher's net off the coast of Cinnabar. Mom headed out to arrest the poachers and free the pokemon they had caught in their nets. Most of them were fine, but poor Azul got his tail caught in the net and it was twisted to where it lost circulation," he stopped swirling his fingers and looked at Cali and me. "Mom took him in right then, and nursed him back to health in one of those above-ground pools. He never got over being shy, but his tail healed completely. Then she brought him home, and we became attached at the hip." He smiled, "He's been 'mine' ever since. Well, not actually mine til I got my Pokedex, but you know what I mean."

"I never knew Officer Jenny was like that," Cali mused. She inched closer to Jamie on the fountain's edge. "That's so cool that you did that."

"Yes, very cool," said a voice. I whirled around. Erik was standing over by the bench, walking towards our little pow-wow. His murkrow was sitting on his shoulder again. _Juez_, I reminded myself, as I took a couple steps to greet him.

"Erik, this is Cali and Jamie. Jamie, Cali, this is Erik," I said introducing them.

Cali jumped to her feet and gave him a huge hug. Erik froze with his hands by his sides.

"Thank you so much for saving Al!" She exclaimed. After a few seconds more, she released Erik from her iron grip. "I'm Cali, and this is-"

"Jamie. I can speak for myself, Cali," Jamie said grinning. He turned to Erik and stuck out his hand. "Hi. Not to be blunt, but I don't know why you're here…?"

Erik stared at his hand for a second before hesitantly shaking it. "Your friend Al here got herself into a bit of trouble yesterday, and I decided to help out. She said I could join you as you set off today?" He glanced at me for confirmation. I nodded.

Then I slapped my forehead. "Duh! Cali we still haven't told Jamie about my adventure yesterday!" I proceeded to relay yesterday's excitement, this time taking out one of the strange pokeballs for Jamie to look at. I quickly handed one to him, feeling that odd numbing feeling again. "Do you feel that?" I asked.

"Feel what?" He said. He tossed the minimized ball from his right hand into his left. "It just feels like a normal ball to me. Why?"

"Well… for some reason… it tingles," I said hesitantly. "Hand the ball to Cali," he did. "Don't you feel that?"

"Actually… I do!" she exclaimed. I breathed a sigh of relief; at least I wasn't going crazy! "It's like tingly and numb and stuff! That's weird," she handed it back to me and I turned to Erik.

"Here, you hold it," I tried to hand it to him, but he backed away, eyes wide.

"No, thank you," he said panicky. Then more controlled: "Anything made by those Rockets I don't want near me."

I shrugged, and quickly shoved the ball back in my bag, eager to get it out of my hands. "Suit yourself. Well, Jamie, I think we should probably get these to your Mom ASAP for analysis. Sound good?"

"Yeah," he said. "We can drop it by the police station as we head out of town. She will still be in town for the next couple days, and she can run them by the lab. She can send me a quick message when she finds out more." He took out his pokell.

"Oh!" I said. "Jamie, I need your pokell ID. And yours too Erik, if you're still going of course." I looked at him. "You are still going, right?"

"Of course. Hold on just a second," He took off his bag (which was also purple) and began to dig through it.

I went on my pokell to my contacts. "Okay Jamie, what's yours? Mine is…"

"Hold on," he said. He pushed a few more buttons, then: "Ready."

"Silverfieldsofroses12. The S is capitalized." He and Erik both typed it in and saved it. Then Jamie looked up.

"Mine is GreencopZkid1. It's a capital Z after the word cop, and the G is capitalized," he said. Cali, Erik, and I all entered it in. Cali rolled her eyes.

"Wow, Jamie. You are _so_ gangster." She elbowed him and laughed. "Put mine in! It's Blazingflamingfires222. Capital B," she added. Jamie laughed as he entered it into his contacts.

"What about you, Erik?" I asked. He fiddled with his pokell (a dark purple one!) for a second.

"It's…" he squinted at the screen. "Maroontwo2. The first 'two' is written out, the second one is a number. Oh, and the M is capitalized." He put his pokell back in his pocket. "Sorry. It's new. I couldn't remember my ID."

"It's _new_?" Cali said appalled. I rolled my eyes.

"You know, Cali, not everyone has had a pokell since birth like you." She punched me in the shoulder.

"Yeah, it's whatever," he said, uncomfortable. "So, how would you guys like to meet my pokemon?" he said, changing the subject.

"Sure!" Cali said excitedly. I smirked.

"Well _I've_ already met them," I crooned. Erik shook his head.

"Not all of them. I have a full party." We stared, gaping. "I've been traveling for… a while. Would you like to meet my friends or not?" he questioned. We all nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out six balls and simultaneously threw them into the air.

"Come on out!" he cried. There was a flash of light and six pokemon appeared on the concrete.

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><p>Okay so OBVIOUSLY not much of a cliff hanger, but this chapter was getting really long, so I decided to post for you guys. Dont forget to review!<p> 


	8. Oh How I Love Camping

HEY! sorry this took so long. Spring Break, testing, and a 34 ON MY ACT! ^_^ well, dont forget to pay extra attention to the information after this chapter ends. SUPER IMPORTANT

I dont own pokemon :(

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><p>Five pokemon were spread out on the concrete patio in front of the school. Apparently, Erik can't count and decided to throw Juez's ball along with the rest of them. The empty Pokeball bounced off the ground back into his palm. He quickly shoved the empty Pokeball back into his pocket, sheepish. I don't think anyone else noticed his miscalculation, or if they did, they didn't care. I watched as the five pokemon stretched and took in Cali, Jamie, and me. Erik crossed his arms and examined our reactions as we examined his formidable team.<p>

Of course, I already knew two of them. There was the scyther, Tiji, who was dark green with a brown stripe on each of its bladed arms. It also had a brownish dot on its forehead. It acknowledged my friends and me by crossing its scythed arms and slashing outward in the blink of an eye. X-Scissor.

And there was Rimo again. The ghastly licked its lips and looked around with a big dopey smile on its face. It spotted Verde, and tried to approach him to say hello, but Verde was terrified.

"Bulba!" it exclaimed and ran behind Jamie. Rimo frowned.

"Ghast?" it questioned, looking at Erik. Erik shook his head.

"You're fine, Rimo. You must remember that you are a ghost type and, well, sometimes you scare others," he said, comforting the disappointed ball of gas. Rimo was a dark purple color, with a swirling cloud of purple gas following him around everywhere he went. He grinned again at his master's words and stuck his tongue out.

"Ghastly!" he shouted, and floated around in a circle around the fountain. The rest of us laughed as we watched, but we were still sneaking peeks at the other pokemon who were beginning to venture closer.

The one that reached us first and immediately began chattering with Noche was a psyduck. It was more golden than yellow, with a brown stripe on its beak. The two were soon joined by Verde and were having a good time circling each other and playing tag. Tiji soon came over and introduced himself to the trio of fools, and he was soon giving piggy-back rides to the smaller pokemon as we sat on the fountain and watched. But they weren't the only ones having fun.

Sunny, Sam, and Flare had been joined by Erik's other two pokemon. I whipped out my Pokedex to examine the two, who looked as if they could be brothers. I had seen them both before, but their names were escaping me. I snapped it open and hit record, scanning the one that had the flaming body first.

MAGMAR, THE SPITFIRE POKEMON. WHEN IT BREATHES DEEPLY, HEAT WAVES FORM AROUND ITS BODY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE.

Duh. Magmar. Recalling the name of that one made the other one's name click in my mind as well. _Electabuzz, _I thought, but I scanned it anyway, so I could have its data, incomplete though it was.

ELECTABUZZ, THE ELECTRIC POKEMON. IT WINDMILLS ITS ARMS TO SLIGHTLY BOOST ITS PUNCHES. FOES HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO ESCAPE IN THE MEANTIME.

The fire and electric types were calmly chattering to our curious pokemon. It looked like a game of 20 questions! Flare was standing next to the magmar and admiring its tail-fire. When the latter noticed, it closed its eyes and focused. The flame on its tail expanded twice the size that it was in an instant, causing Flare to jump back and run right into the fountain. The other pokemon began laughing as Flare sat on the ground, dazed. But eventually, she started laughing at herself too. The other pokemon had noticed the commotion, and were cackling along with them.

Soon, all of us were in hysterics as we laughed at each other. Even Erik was smiling. It looked strange on his face, simply out of place. But it didn't matter. We were having too much fun to make fun of Erik's awkwardness. Even Juez was cawing in laughter.

Rimo stopped floating around the fountain to laugh with us, though I was sure that he had missed the joke.

Once we had all calmed down (again), Erik introduced us to his pokemon.

"This is Juez," he said, gesturing to the bird on his shoulder. "That is Tiji. Over there is Rimo," he pointed out the scyther and ghastly in turn. Rimo stuck his tongue out when he heard his name, and Tiji nodded his head.

"This," he said, looking down towards the psyduck, "is Wato."

"He seemes more… collected than most psyduck I have seen," Cali mentioned, still giggling about earlier. It takes a while to calm Cali down.

"Yes," Erik commented. "He is well trained. Finally, over there, that is Pito and Pita." He indicated first the electabuzz, then the magmar. "The two are a nearly inseparable couple. I bet none of you knew that electabuzz and magmar could mate?"

Jamie and Cali shook their heads, but I spoke up. "I did. My parents are breeders, remember?" Of course, I really didn't know. I could barely remember the names of the two pokemon, let alone that they were in the same egg group. But I couldn't let the others know that, being a breeder's daughter and all. But I could kind of tell that they were compatible. Both were very humanoid in structure.

Erik continued. "Yes, both of them are in the Human-Like egg group. They have been inseparable since I… since I caught them."

"Awesome!" Cali said. "I didn't know pokemon of different types could breed!"

"Come on Cali, think. What about a vaporeon and a jolteon? They can mate," Jamie teased.

"Well that's different," Cali retorted. "They both evolve from eevee."

"So? They're different types."

"Yeah, but not when they're babies!"

"Doesn't matter. Use your head."

"Hey! I was! It's not like elecabuzz and magmar are ever the same pokemon!"

And on, and on, and on they argued. I rolled my eyes and smiled at Erik. But he was busy returning the other pokemon. All except Juez, who remained on his shoulder. I walked up to him, or away from the argument, depending on your point of view.

"Nice job throwing out that extra ball," I teased. His face got red.

"I wasn't counting. How did you even notice that? Were you paying THAT much attention to me?" he questioned. Now my face got red.

"No I just… notice little things. That's all. Hey guys!" I called quickly, changing the subject and interrupting their argument. "We should get going. It's been nearly an hour, and I wanna get on the road." The two stopped yelling and looked at me.

After a pause, Jamie sighed. "We'll continue this later," he told Cali. "Azul, return." He held up a ball and there was a flash of light. He put the ball back in his pocket. "I'm ready."

I decided to leave Sunny and Noche out as we headed off. Juez flew high above us as we started walking towards the edge of town. Cali left Sam and Flare out to walk with us, and they were joined by Verde. ("Saur, Saur, Saur, Saur!")

"So, where are we going?" Erik asked. Cali and I glanced at each other, then Cali spoke.

"We are off to ask Professor Oak about the missing legendaries." Erik's face remained completely disinterested. "Oh! And we're gonna ask him about these two…" I shot her a look and elbowed her. She looked apologetic, and stammered to recover her response. "Her two, uh, pokemon!" Well, that was partly true. "Yeah, we are gonna have him take a look at Sunny and Noche while we're there. Isn't that right Al?"

"Uhuh!" I said with a smile. Erik looked unimpressed. I elbowed Cali again.

"Well, at least this gives me something to do," he mused. "So are we headed for Diglett's Cave?"

"That's the fastest way there, since none of us have our Fly licenses," Jamie confirmed. "And I'm sure Al would want to battle gyms on the way. Seeing as how she is a trainer. Right Al?" he asked. I nodded.

"Well, the only gym I could really battle would be the Vermillion Gym. I don't think any other gyms are on the way. The Vermillion Gym is past Diglett's Cave anyway. I don't think I should battle it as my first gym though," I said hesitantly. "That's usually, what, the third gym that trainers take on?" Cali nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I think I should start with Pewter. The exit of Diglett's Cave is right by there, anyway."

"Yep! Sounds good, Al," Cali exclaimed. "I for one don't really care where we go, as long as there are some awesome fire types to be caught! I'm a collector," she explained to Erik. "And Jamie… Jamie, what are you here for?" she asked. He grinned.

"I'm following the family business. Duh. Mom thought it would be a good idea for me to get some practice by being your bodyguard." He straightened as he talked. Being asked by his mom, THE Officer Jenny, to take on this kind of mission must have been a huge honor.

"Sounds awesome," I said smiling. "So… Erik… What's your career?"

He didn't answer for a while. He seemed to be thinking; his eyes became unfocused and he was quiet. He seemed to be gathering his thoughts.

"I guess I am a sort of collector," he said finally, smiling to himself. "But a personal mission has caused me to venture more into the field of training."

"Personal mission?" I asked. He looked at me for a long while, seemingly arguing with himself, when finally he sighed.

"I guess since I will be traveling with you for a while, you might as well know." He looked straight ahead as he spoke. We listened intently. "My sister was… kidnapped. By Team Rocket."

What? "What?" I gasped. Cali's mouth dropped open. Even Jamie's eyes widened. Erik continued speaking.

"She was kidnapped. Right out of her house. And I am going to save her, along with our… friends, who have also been taken. Besides my sister, they also have something very… precious of mine. And I will not stop pursuing them until I regain what they took from me." He was suddenly very quiet. He looked at me. "I would never have agreed to travel with you unless I believed that you had something to do with Team Rocket. That grunt jumping out of the woods and attacking you was the best lead I have had in months."

We stared speechless as we walked, our questions falling silent as a single tear slowly rolled down Erik's face. He wiped his cheek and stared at his wet hand for a second, confused, but then saw us watching and wiped it on his pants.

Jamie spoke first. "We'll help you however we can."

"Yeah!" Cali agreed. "I'm sure we'll run into Rocket plenty on our adventure! And it's really great to have you along with us, I mean, with your full team and all. How many badges do you have, anyway?" she asked.

"None," he answered. "I am not taking the Final Four Challenge. Collecting is my passion, I could care less about badges," he said, waving his hand.

I was glad that I had brought Cali along. She filled all of the silences, but in a good way. As we made our way out of the city limits, she asked Jamie and Erik more questions that I could count. Nothing too heavy, really, just very generic questions. She asked Jamie way more questions than Erik, probably because Erik's answers were usually one worded.

"Purple." His favorite color.

"Psychic." His favorite type of pokemon.

"Sitrus." His favorite berry.

When asked what his favorite pokemon was, he just gave her a look. Getting the point, the quit asking Erik questions and began drilling Jamie on his life.

The wordiest answer Erik gave to one of her questions was to the first question she asked him: "So… Erik… does your name have anything to do with the Unova Region Champion?"

Erik smirked. "Was my name chosen for me based on the Champion? Yes. He is a strong man… and my parents wanted me to have a strong name." He stared off into the distance again. "A name that all would recognize and immediately associate with strength."

"Well, hopefully now Team Rocket has two Eriks to fear!" Cali said with a winning smile.

Erik just grunted.

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><p>It was on a clear night that we made camp that first day.<p>

We were set up around 6 miles outside of Lavender Town. We had passed the "You are now leaving Lavender Town. Vermillion City: 48 miles" sign with just a few hours of daylight remaining. We began to set up camp just as the sun was setting.

We found a small clearing just a few minutes from the path on our right. Well, Juez did anyway. He led us through the woods to the campsite. There were only two small trees in the otherwise clear area. Dirt was more prominent than grass, which made the area an ideal location for the night (better to keep away the dew!)

Jamie, Cali, and I set up our sleeping bags in-between the trees, Cali in the middle, next to Jamie of course. Erik didn't set up anything, but released Tiji from his ball.

"Tiji, firewood," he commanded. The scyther nodded and bounded into the woods. The rest of us got our smaller pokemon to collect rocks to line the fire with. We arranged the stones in a circle just outside of our sleeping bags.

Cali and I struggled to move a large log next to the fire for us to sit on. Jamie and Erik offered to help, but the log was too heavy even for them. So Erik got Pito and Tiji to move the log for us. The two pokemon lifted the log easily and placed it gently by the fire circle.

Flare did the honors of lighting the fire, shining her flame tail in the dry wood for only a few seconds before the twigs ignited. The sun had been absent for over an hour now, and we were all glad to have some light illuminating our small area of forest. Cali and Jamie sat side-by-side on the log. I took a seat across the fire from them on my sleeping bag, and Erik sat cross-legged on a flat rock.

"Finally!" Jamie said, and stretched his arms up over his head. "Hey, Cali, why don't we go ahead and bust out that Ponyta's Place we got back in Lavender?"

Erik and I nodded in agreement. "I'm starving," I said, my stomach agreeing too.

"Eevee!" said Sunny. She bounced over to Cali and nudged her leg.

"Alright, alright," Cali laughed, and she got the carry-out bag of food from beside her sleeping bag. The ponyta eating hay on an old country farm was outlined against the brown paper bag. She dished out the food; chicken and dumplings on my plate.

The pokemon shared a big order of Ponyta's Place signature pokemon food. All of our pokemon sat around the fire (with the exception of Azul, who Jamie was holding) and chattered and ate. We went through our bags and showed off our surprise gifts that we had received.

I kept the feathers in the bottom of my bag in their box; I wasn't quite willing to make that secret known to everyone yet.

Jamie showed off his Miracle Seed first, explaining its power to us. He demonstrated:

"Okay, Verde, use razor leaf!" he commanded.

"Bulba. Saur!" Verde said, and a flurry of tiny green leaves flew out of the plant on his back and into the sky.

"Now, watch this," Jamie said. He popped the Miracle Seed inside of Verde's bulb on his back. Verde twitched and shook himself as if he was being tickled. Then he looked at Jamie.

"Alright, boy, do it again!"

Verde tensed up, and his green bulb on his back glowed.

"Bulbasaur!" he shouted, and the leaves came out again, but this time, it was a tornado! The leaves were twice the size as before, and there were at least twice as many. They flew into the sky and spread out in every direction, reflecting the firelight in a multicolored lights show.

Cali and I clapped. "That was awesome Jamie!" Cali said, excited. Jamie made a mock bow and popped the seed back out of Verde's bulb. The bulbasaur grinned and shook himself.

Jamie also had a pair of awesome jet-black sunglasses. He said that they boosted dark type moves. And he had a Magnet, for electric moves.

His last item, however, was the coolest. It was a scale, and it reflected the fire's light in an eerie bluish-green pattern. We passed it around; it felt smooth to the touch, and it was sharp as a knife.

"It's a dragon scale," he said as we passed it around our little circle. The pokemon were even interested, running their paws and claws over its surface. Erik even seemed impressed.

"What does it do?" I asked.

"Well, when Azul evolves into seadra, this scale, if he holds it and levels up again, will evolve him into Kingdra." He patted Azul's spiked head as he spoke. The horsea was already sleeping in his arms. "I think Mom pulled some strings for that one." He winked at Cali. She blushed.

Cali showed off her fire themed items. She saved the fire stone for last. As she held the stone, the flame inside seemed to mimic the light from the campfire. Sam stood and began walking towards it.

Cali noticed just in time. She pulled the stone away from his nose quickly. "Uh-uh Sam! Not yet, you still have some moves to learn!" She placed the stone back into her bag carefully, and zipped it up tight.

I showed everyone my fishing rod. It was awesome! The compactness of it was so handy. I also showed them my Silk Scarf, wrapping it around Sunny's neck. She strutted around the fire, modeling it for us. We all laughed.

When I took out the soothe bell and rang it, everyone was silent as we listened to its chime. It sounded like a waterfall mixed with clinking metal. After a second of listening, Noche came up and nudged my hand. I tied the little bell around his neck with the ribbon.

"Not exactly manly, but it work," I said. He was too absorbed with his new bling to take notice.

I took out the TM Return and showed Jamie.

"You know, they fixed up TMs now so you can use them more than once," he said, admiring the silver CD.

"Seriously?" I asked. "That's great! Come here, Sunny! Noche!"

The two eevees came bounding up to me, putting their paws in my lap. I started to take the TM out of its case when I realized something. "Uh… guys?"

"Yeah?" Jamie asked, grinning.

"I don't know how to use a TM…" I said reluctantly. He just laughed.

"Well," he began superiorly. "The new ones are pretty cool. You see, the DNA technology within the disk can meld with that of compatible…"

"Oh, just shut up and tell her how to use it," Cali interrupted playfully.

Jamie sighed. "Man. Stuck on an adventure with two bimbos who don't share my intellect." He grinned at Cali. She punched him. I rolled my eyes.

"Come on Jamie…"

"Okay, okay, fine Al. Have them put a significant part of their body on the CD." I stared at him blankly. He sighed again. "Tell them to put their paws on it."

"Alright Sunny, Noche, you heard him!" The pokemon squeaked and placed a paw each on the CD. Nothing happened for a second, then the disc glowed with a bright white light. Then, almost as fast, the light went away, as if nothing had happened.

"… did it work?" I asked. I looked at Sunny. "Sunny, use return!"

"Eevee!" she squeaked. Her head began to glow with a silver light. She took off at a charge and smacked into a tree. The light dispersed into the air and faded. She bounced off the trunk and landed on her feet. She grinned and trotted back to the fire.

I looked at Noche. " Alright, buddy! Your turn!"

He raised his chin up. His head began to glow bright, noticeably brighter than Sunny's. He charged at the same tree, hitting it not only with his head, but doing a backflip and kicking it with his back legs. The light exploded outward with the kick. He twisted in the air and landed on his feet. The bell around his neck still glowed white.

Cali clapped. "Bravo, Noche!"

"Noche's bond must be stronger with you. I bet it's the soothe bell," said Jamie.

"Yeah, and he's in a Luxury ball now," I agreed. Noche was back in the circle, being admired by the others. Sunny sprang up and congratulated him in her own way; wrestling him to the ground. We laughed.

Eventually, we were curious as to Erik's possessions. "So… Erik," Cali began after a while. "Got anything cool to show off?" We leaned in.

He looked off into the woods. "I only have what I have picked up over the last year. Nothing really special."

"Oh, come on bro, you must have something totally wicked!" Jamie said encouragingly. Cali and I just rolled our eyes.

Erik sighed. "Well, I guess if you want 'wicked', I could show you this." He rummaged in his bag and took out an old spoon. It was half bent. What?

We stared, trying to be polite. Well, Jamie and I were. "What is THAT?" Cali asked.

Erik smiled faintly. He looked towards the group of pokemon. "Wato, come here," he said.

The psyduck poked its head out from behind Tiji and waddled over to Erik. "Use psybeam."

"Psy…" Wato said, focusing on the woods. Then, a beam of wavy purple-blue light burst out of Wato's forehead, fanning out into the trees. "Duck!"

The attack was beautiful and, we all knew, powerful against other pokemon. Erik held his hand out to Wato, handing him the spoon. "Now, try again."

Wato said nothing the next time. He closed his eyes, and the spoon turned bright purple. Suddenly, a light the same color as before burst from the twistedspoon in a narrow beam, lighting up just one tree. The leaves on the tree stood on end as if charged with static electricity. Then, it was dark again. We all clapped for that one.

Before Cali could be nosey again, and as I could see that Erik was more uncomfortable with showing off his items than us three, I yawned. "It's pretty late guys, I think we should all hit the sack." Flare nodded as I spoke, yawning as well and displaying her tiny fangs.

There was murmured agreement from everyone, and flashes of red light as everyone put their pokemon away. I put Sunny and Noche away, not wanting either of them to run off. Or worse, get poke-napped.

The fire had settled to a bed of coals by the time we were all in bed. Erik walked slightly beyond the tree my sleeping bag was next to and released Juez. He said something I couldn't hear, and Juez took off into the sky with a caw. Erik then walked back to the tree. I closed my eyes so he didn't know I was still awake and watching him. When I opened them again, all I could see were his foot sticking out from behind the tree. I could never sleep sitting up against a tree.

I heard a buzz and unzipped my bag for my Pokell.

_Message from: Blazingflamingfires222-_

_hes cutee ;)_

I hit respond, typed up my message, and sent it.

_whatevs_

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><p><strong>READ THIS:<strong>

So, today marks the beginning of the triannual Silverfieldsofroses competition! Send me in one chapter that you have written, and the one that best captures my interest will get their username and the name of a story of their choice posted at the top of Allora Silverfield chapter 13! I will reccomend you to everyone who reads my stories. This is only the first leg of the competition, but the prize will be worth it in the long run!

There is no required length of the chapter. The only requirements are that it must BEGIN a story, as if it could be a Chapter 1. And it MUST be told from the point of view of a pokemon. If you have a chapter already written with those requirements: AWESOME! But if not, just take 15 minutes, write one, and post it as a new story. Then PM me your username and the name of the new story! The winner will be announced when chapter 13 of Allora Silverfield is posted. I am estimating that to be 2 months from now at the earliest. My stories recieve an average of 400 hits a month. Though that is not a crazy amount, that number will increase greatly. And EVERY PERSON who reads this story will see that I reccomend you as a fantastic writer! This will surely increase the amount of people who view your stories. So why not! Thank you for reading!

Silverfield :)


	9. Ditto, Dude

Here's the next installment! Don't forget about the contest. View Chapter 10 for more details. The more entries the merrier! I don't own pokemon.

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><p>"Look! Al, over there!" Someone was shaking me awake.<p>

"Ugh… what? Five more minutes…" I groaned as I buried my face into my sleeping bag. The shaking just got more obnoxious.

"No, for real! Get up! Your gonna wanna catch this one!" Cali said excitedly. I sat up in a flash.

"What is it? Where!" I said excitedly, quickly rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I looked around. Jamie was still snoring away in his sleeping bag. I could see Erik's foot from where I sat. He was still asleep too. The sun was just starting to rise over the tree line. I looked across the campfire.

There was a group of ratatta sleeping in the woods directly in front of us. I looked at Cali, and then back at the little rat pokemon.

"THAT is what you woke me up to catch?" I moaned. She just grinned.

"Don't ask questions! Just catch one! I already did, you'll see what I mean. They're sleeping, just throw a ball!"

I groaned and dug through my bag. "This better be worth it. I only have four balls left, remember?" She giggled.

I grunted to my feet and walked towards the ratatta. I enlarged the pokeball.

"Go, pokeball!" I yelled. It was my first time catching a pokemon, I wanted to make it epic. So I yelled as loud as I could. Something I would regret.

There was a flash of crimson, and the ratatta I had singled out disappeared into the ball. Then, all hell broke loose. See, I didn't think about the fact that yelling might wake up the sleeping pokemon. What happened next was crazy!

All of a sudden, there were no more ratatta. All of a sudden dozens of pidgey and spearow and beedrill and butterfree were flying away!

"Whaaa…?" I said and I ducked, covering my head with my hands. Cali just laughed.

"You glad I woke you up now? It's going to be a great addition to your team," she said and giggled.

Finally, something clicked in my thick skull. _Duh_. "Ditto."

"Bingo," Cali said. Through the noise of fluttering wings, we heard a moan from behind us. We turned.

"What was all that noise?" Jamie groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Woke me up."

"Oh, Jamie! You'll never guess what just happened! There were these ditto all over and they-" Cali began.

"Ditto? Sweet! Where are they I want one!" Jamie interrupted excitedly as he scanned the forest. One last "pidgeys" flew off into the sky, and things became quiet again. A frown eased its way onto his face. He glanced at Cali and me. "Where are they?"

"Well…" I said slowly, "I got REALLY excited to catch my first pokemon and, well, you see, I sorta scared them all away…" As I spoke, Erik got to his feet and came toward our cluster. He crossed his arms and listened.

Jamie looked down. "Oh, yeah it's fine Al, you got excited, that's all." The words of his apology seemed sincere, but his tone betrayed him. I could tell he was really disappointed. I felt awful; it was my fault that the ditto had scrambled. He looked really down, but I had no idea what to do. I was NOT about to give up my ditto, it was my first pokemon I had caught! Thank Mew for Cali.

"Here Jamie," she began. "You can have mine." She held out a pokeball towards Jamie. He looked at it, but put his hands up.

"No, no. You caught it. It's yours to keep…" he started, but Cali interrupted, waving her hand.

"Oh, don't be silly. You know I collect fire pokemon! Besides, I already got its data, so no harm no foul." She winked at him. Jamie hesitated for just a few more seconds, then took the ball from her hand.

He examined it for a second, then gave Cali a giant hug. "Thank you," he said sincerely. The hug lasted slightly longer than socially acceptable, then they separated, giant smiles on each of their faces. I shook my head. _Ah, young love!_ I thought. I glanced to the right and suddenly caught Erik's eye.

As soon as he saw that I had noticed him staring at me, he looked away. VERY quickly.

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><p>We traveled south throughout most of the day, telling stupid jokes and giggling to ourselves especially hard when we managed to get Erik to crack a smile. The sun was shining brightly through the canopy of leaves. Erik had released Tiji and Juez to travel with him. The rest of us had all of our pokemon out and walking (except for Azul.) Jamie and I had each examined our ditto before setting off.<p>

My ditto, whom I proudly named Snuf, was a lighter purple color than Jamie's, who was named Purpura. The two quickly took the forms of the pokemon around them when they were released. As it was, I had two eevees and a murkrow travelling with me, and Jamie had an extra vulpix on his hands. We grinned at each other and high-fived before we started walking.

The sun was high in the sky when we reached a small clearing. Two teenage guys about our age were sitting on a log along the edge of the grass. They were laughing and fist bumping every five minutes, and boasting about how strong their pokemon were. They obviously didn't know what "volume control" meant:

"Bro, my growlith like totally helped me pick up this babe the other day! Like it was so sweet you don't even know!"

"Sweetness dude. Yolo! My machop like beasted out this clefairy the other day. It was so awesome man you don't even know!"

And so on and so forth.

We walked in the clearing with our little parade of pokemon toddling behind us. Cali and I were a ways ahead, talking about how cute Erik's magmar and electabuzz were together. The boys seemed to be making good conversation behind us. I was ecstatic that they were getting along.

"You know," I said to Cali quietly. "I was worried about inviting Erik at first; I didn't really know how he would be around you guys. But he seems to be getting along with us all." Jamie's loud laugh suddenly busted out from behind us. "Well, with Jamie at least."

"Yeah? Well, maybe you should try 'getting along' better with him yourself," Cali said with a wink.

"Oh, no. He's just my friend. I don't plan on anything like that," I flushed. Cali just giggled. Then she poked my shoulder.

"Hey! Look over there!" She pointed over to the two "Bros" sitting on the log. They had stopped talking and were oogling in our direction. Cali laughed again. "I think they see something they like," she half giggled, half sang. She made her way over to the log, swishing her hips a little extra, which made her orange skirt flip around from behind. I sighed and followed her lead.

One of the guys stood up a little too spazticly and approached Cali.

"Hey there sweetheart," he began. _Oh boy_, I thought.

Cali was unfazed. "Hey how are you?" she said casually. He hooked his hands in his jean pockets.

"Say, you know, I'm good. Are those your pokemon over there?" He said, leaning into her. Cali flipped her hair and looked backward. Sam and Flare bounded up beside her, Flare's flaming tail flickering in the wind.

"Oh. These?" She said innocently. "Why yes they are." She looked backward, caught Jamie's eye, then turned back to Dude #1 and stepped towards him. "My name's Cali, by the way."

"That's a pretty name. I almost guessed that!" That was granbull shit if I ever heard it.

Cali just giggled. "So you got any pokemon on you?"

"Oh, sure I do. The strongest in Kanto! Take a look at these babies." While he was fiddling with getting the balls out of his belt, Cali looked at me and raised her eyebrows. She gave her head a little jerk, gesturing to the other dude, coming up behind Dude #1. _Oh Mew_. He was coming up to me; hat backwards, pants sagging, hands in his pockets.

I sighed and glanced back at Jamie and Erik. Jamie was staring at Dude #1, fuming. Verde was scowling too, vines halfway extended out of his back. Purpura took one look at Verde and transformed into a matching bulbasaur, mimicking Verde's vine threat exactly. Erik looked amused as he watched the excitement. Juez cawed.

"Hey baby," I heard. _Mew. _

I turned around, smile plastered on my face. Dude #2 was standing nice and close to me, with a cocky smirk on his face. I took a small deliberate step backward. "Hey there. What's your name?" I asked lamely.

"The name's Kyle. You should learn it; you'll be saying it more often than not." He winked. How Cali manages to do this constantly I don't know.

I giggled hysterically, becoming more uncomfortable with each passing minute. Trying to maintain a conversation with someone dumber than a slowpoke was exhausting. I stole a glance at Cali, she was chatting up a storm with Dude #1. She shot me a reassuring glance, winked, then continued playing with her hair.

I was about to say something even more lame when Jamie saved the day. "Hey ladies, who are your new friends?" he asked, shooting daggers out of his eyes at Dude #1.

"Oh, hey Jamie," Cali said flirtatiously. She walked towards him and moved his hand to around her waist. Jamie's confused stare was priceless, but Cali paid no attention. "This is Lucas, and this here is…" She looked at me expectantly. It took me a second to process that she wanted me to answer her question. Kyle took the liberty of that, however.

He swung his arm around my waist and pulled me into his side. "It's Kyle. How's it going bro?" he asked Jamie. Jamie glared in his direction, then looked at Cali.

"Well, I think we should be moving on, don't you Cali?" he asked forcefully.

"Woah, dude. I just got started chatting up this babe; you can't leave yet!" Lucas said. Definitely dumber than a slowpoke.

Jamie tightened his grip on Cali. "I'll have you know that this 'babe' isn't to be 'chatted up' by anyone, especially not you 'dude.'" He said sarcastically. I would have laughed if my rib cage hadn't been being crushed by Kyle's arm.

Lucas extended his arms in the air in what I guess he thought was a "menacing" gesture. "You wanna battle over her, bro? Is that what this is?"

"Oh! Yay! Battle over me Jamie!" Cali said excitedly, clapping her hands. She's not exactly the brightest crayon in the box either. I sometimes wonder if her natural hair color is blonde, not red. She pushed off from Jamie's side, leaving him to glare at Lucas by himself. She strutted to the center of the clearing, waving her hand for me to follow. I gingerly removed Kyle's arm from my side and followed Cali. Erik smirked slightly as I passed him.

"Thanks for your help," I muttered as I passed him, right before Cali started talking.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Cali began in her best announcer voice. She reminded me of one of the NASCAR girls who start off a race. She held her hand in the air. "You are about to experience a battle of daring and strength, with one fabulous prize!" She winked and gestured to herself. Lucas was practically drooling, but Jamie still hadn't taken his eyes off of him.

Cali beckoned with her finger. "Come on now, let's get this show on the road!" she declared. Lucas practically sprinted to his spot on the newly declared battlefield. Jamie huffed and strutted over across from Lucas. Cali was now literally the "center" of attention.

"Each opponent may use two pokemon. The trainer of the last pokemon standing wins! Good luck!" she trilled as she sprinted off the field towards me.

I felt a hand glide its way around my waist. I slowly rolled my eyes upward. Kyle grinned down at me and pulled me into his side. It was all I could do to keep from gagging. Erik came up beside me and shook his head, a cocky grin on his face. I had never wanted to punch someone so bad.

"Ready? Begin!" Cali shouted.

"Go, Sharpbeak!" Lucas shouted as he threw a ball into the air. With a flash of light, a spearow appeared on the battlefield. It immediately took to the air.

"Alright, Purpura, do your thing!" announced Jamie. The bulbasaur sprinted to the center of the battlefield.

"Haha, funny. Dude thinks he can use a grass type against a flying type!" Lucas boasted to Kyle, who was slowly suffocating me with his grip.

Jamie grinned. He winked at Cali and gave Purpura another command. "Now, use transform!"

Purpura mimicked Jamie's grin and focused on the spearow. It's body shimmered and morphed, and seconds later a second spearow took to the sky.

Lucas was furious. "You think you can just steal my style bro? Well, it's not gonna work like that. Sharpbeak, use aerial ace!"

"Spear!" the spearow screeched. It had climbed above Purpura in the air, and took a steep dive towards the ditto. Poor Purpura was still trying to learn to fly, and could only watch in horror as it tried to stay airborne as Sharpbeak bore down upon him.

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><p>Remember, send in your one chapter entries to me, and get your stories praised in a header in my story, both attracting extra visitors and fans! Thanks!<p>

Silverfield


	10. Interesting

Check out my contest in chapter 10! enjoy the chapter! Thank you WitSicness for your very helpful review!

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><p>"Speaaarr!" Sharpbeak screeched as it raked its talons across Purpura's back. Poor Purpura, who had only just gotten steady in midair, lost his balance and crashed into the grass.<p>

"Ha ha! Great move bro!" cheered Kyle across the field to Lucas. They air-fived. I face-palmed.

I gingerly picked Kyle's hand up off of my waist, smiled, and moved so Erik was between us. I don't even think he noticed.

"It's okay, Purp, you got it!" Jamie said encouragingly.

"Row!" Purpura crowed and he got back on his feet. He puffed up his feathers and faced up at Sharpbeak, who was circling him in the air.

Jamie took out his Pokedex. He scanned Purpura. This is the only way a trainer can know the moves a ditto knows after it has transformed. After looking it over for a few seconds, he nodded his head and squared up to Lucas.

"I wonder what he's thinking?" Cali wondered aloud. I nodded, agreeing.

"Alright, Purp, use double team!" Jamie commanded.

Purpura looked at him and nodded, then closed his eyes. In a few seconds, there were a dozen spearows spread out on the grass.

"Now, use agility and mix yourself up!" Jamie called. The spearows on the ground whirled around in a tornado of feathers and when they settled again, I don't even think Jamie knew which one was Purpura.

"You think that will work? Areal ace never misses its target! Now, Sharpbeak, use areal ace again!" Lucas ordered. Sharpbeak looked at the ground, found its target, and went into a second dive. At the last second, he pulled up and stretched out his talons, and raked them across the back of one of the spearow!

Luckily, this wasn't Purp. The spearow that Sharpbeak hit vanished. Lucas' spearow, expecting to hit a target, wasn't prepared for the momentum and crashed into the ground.

Jamie grinned "Unless its target is the wrong one." He quickly took advantage of the moment. "Now, Purpura, use sand attack!"

"Spearow!" came a chorus of chirps. Each bird began to kick its feet and flap its wings, but dirt was only coming from one of them. Lucas immediately knew which one of the illusions was Purpura, and I could see it in Jamie's eyes that he had seen the flaw in his plan.

"Quick, Sharpbeak, get into the air!" Lucas shouted. Sharpbeak flapped his wings and rose, but the dirt was already in his eyes. He wobbled unsteadily in the air above Purp.

"The real one is the third from your right! Quick! Use areal ace!" Lucas commanded.

Sharpbeak looked unsteadily at the ground, pausing before going into a steep dive. That hesitation was all Jamie needed.

"Agility! Now!" Jamie shouted. There was a whirl of activity on the ground, but had Sharpbeak already locked on to Purpura?

Nope.

Jamie was just in time. Sharpbeak didn't pull up from his dive enough and must have just been planning on ramming Purp, but it never happened. The spearow that Sharpbeak hit was an illusion, and the bird pokemon crashed right into the dirt. He didn't stand back up.

"Whoo! Round one goes to… Jamie!" Cali announced triumphantly. I clapped and whistled.

"It's all right, dude, you got it with Smash, don't even worry," Kyle said, comforting Lucas. Smash?

Lucas sighed. "Return, Sharpbeak." In a flash of red, the spearow was recalled into its pokeball. The illusions of Purpura faded away on the grass until just the lone bird stood.

"You did great, little dude," Lucas said to Sharpbeak's ball. "But now it's time for Smash to take over! Go, Smash, show them who's the most awesome!" Lucas called as he threw a new ball into the air.

The ball opened and the white light became solid and formed a machop. The humanoid pokemon pounded its fists together. "Chop. Machop!"

"Wow, Smash looks really excited for the battle," I commented. Erik nodded but kept his eyes trained on the action.

Purpura took to the skies again, flying slightly better than before. It awkwardly circled around Smash, waiting for an order.

"Okay, Smash, use focus energy!" Lucas began. The machop closed its eyes and the ridges on its head began to glow orange.

"Purp, use areal ace! Quick!" Jamie said frantically. Purpura tilted towards Smash and dove. Lucas didn't even bat an eye. In fact, he was smiling!

Purpura got closer and closer to Smash. The machop kept its eyes shut. Until…

"Now! Rock smash, then rock throw!" Lucas commanded. A chained attack!

"Chop!" Smash turned towards Purpura exactly as he reached him, and punched him in the ribs hard enough to break a rock (no pun intended.) Then, while the spearow/ditto was flying through the air, the machop launched a good sized rock right at him!

"Quick! Purp! Spread your wings!" Jamie ordered urgently. Purp spread his wings and got just enough air resistance for the rock to miss him. But not enough for him to fly. He smashed into the ground seconds later, and was barely able to get to his feet.

"Alright Smash, finish him off," Lucas ordered. The machop began moving towards the weakened spearow. I stole a glance at Jamie. He was clenching his fists and staring. Finally he shook his head and frowned. The machop was almost to Purpura.

"Sand attack!" Jamie commanded as a last-ditch effort. Purpura flapped his wings and kicked his legs, getting sand in Smash's eyes.

"Machop!" yelled Smash, squinting. It karate chopped down angrily, hitting Purp and knocking him out. The ditto shimmered and morphed until it was once again a purple blob. It didn't move.

"Return, Purpura," Jamie said, a confusing smile on his face. He held up the pokeball to his face. "You did good in there, for your first battle. But now it's time for the big guns." He smiled again, and put the ball in his pocket. He enlarged another one.

"Go, Verde!" he cried. The bulbasaur appeared in a blast of white light, shiny eyed and ready to go.

"Wow! Verde looks great!" I noticed.

"Alright, use leech seed!" Jamie ordered. Verde's bulb on its back expanded, and then quickly contracted, spitting out two seeds.

"Dodge it Smash, then use karate chop!" Smash dodged the first seed, but the second one got caught in its ridges on its head and sprouted. Soon, the machop was wrapped with vines and struggling. A shiny green wind seemed to be blowing from Smash to Verde. Verde glowed green and sparkled. It was grinning.

"Alright, let's demonstrate our Miracle Seed again! Razor Leaf!"

"Smash, use bulk up to tighten the vines!" Lucas said quickly. It seemed an odd strategy; that would just tangle the machop even more.

Verde released a tornado of leaves from its bulb. Smash was growing bigger, the vines tightening around him. The razor leaf attack reached Smash, damaging him, but also slicing through the over-taut vines. The machop was freed!

"Now! Use rock smash again!"

"Verde, vine whip!" Jamie yelled frantically.

Smash dashed towards the bulbasaur and raised its fist. Verde extended its vines and used them to block blows from Smash. The two were in a fist fight! Verde managed to block both of Smash's hands with one vine and used the other one to knock it back. Then, the bulbasaur glowed bright.

"What? What's happening?" Lucas whimpered. Smash simply stared at the growing mass of white light.

"It's evolving!" I said awed. Cali clapped her hands and bounced up and down. Erik even smiled.

Verde's bulb bloomed into a beautiful pink bud as the light faded. "Ivy, Ivysaur!"

"Woah! Okay, Verde," Jamie checked his pokedex. "Let's try out your new move. Use take down!

"Ah! Smash, dodge it!" Lucas exclaimed, but it was too late. The machop was too slow. Verde crashed into its side and it flew into the air. When it hit the ground it stayed there.

"Jamie is the winner!" Cali exclaimed. We cheered and clapped, and she ran across to the other side of the field after him. She smashed into him and gave him a huge hug which he returned. Lucas wasn't returning anything but his pokemon.

"Bro this sucks!" he whined to Kyle.

"Don't worry about it dude. There are other goldeen in the sea," Kyle sneered.

"Verde really likes Jamie," Erik commented quietly. I nodded.

"Yeah, they've really bonded. He's a natural with befriending pokemon," I agreed.

"So are you," he said sincerely. Coming from Erik, that was a huge compliment. I blushed, enjoying the moment. Suddenly, I felt two hands wrap around my waist from behind. _Oh Arceus_.

"Hey, baby, what do you say you ditch these fools and come spend some time with my compadre and myself?" Kyle drawled from behind me. I had had enough.

I thrust his arms off of me and whirled around. "I'm pretty sure your 'compadre' just got his ass beat by my 'fool' of a friend, so just back off!" He grabbed my wrist and I tried to twist free, but he held firm.

"I don't know why you're being so difficult, you would like it," he crooned. His hand tightened its grip and I cried out in pain.

"Get off!" He just smirked and started to pull me towards him. All of a sudden, my hand was freed and Erik was standing in front of me.

"I'm pretty sure she said get off, aren't you?" Erik said, dangerously quiet. He held his ground between me and Kyle.

"What are you gonna do about it, huh? You wanna battle over her?" Oh Mew, not this again.

Kyle took a step towards Erik, but then froze. He clenched his fists and seemed to be having an internal battle with himself. He seemed to be straining towards Erik.

"Trust me, you do not want to battle _me_," Erik said softly. Kyle suddenly relaxed and gasped for air. He looked at Erik, terrified.

"Lucas, let's get the hell out of here man!" he called. He turned away and sprinted into the woods. Lucas followed soon after.

"What was that?" I questioned. Erik shrugged.

"I guess I really intimidated him," he said nonchalantly. I stared into his eyes. He was completely relaxed and straightforward, but whatever had just happened wasn't just intimidation.

I looked at him for a few more seconds, then nodded. I didn't believe him, but I decided to let it go. Hell, I didn't even know what had just happened.

Perhaps Kyle really was just scared.

Jamie and Cali came over soon after to talk with us about the battle. The two were holding hands, and sneaking each other looks. I smiled inwardly.

Verde bounded up beside them, seeming to enjoy his new form. None of them had seen what had transpired between Erik and Kyle. I decided not to share.

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><p>We soon got on the road again, heading further south.<p>

We made camp as the sun began to set. We were located just on the ocean shore by that time. Silence Bridge laid spread out before us. We sat at the forest's edge and watched the sun set over the water. Jamie released Azul so he could enjoy the ocean water for a while. The rest of our pokemon played by the water's edge.

The psyduck Wato was playing in the ocean with Azul and Noche. Noche seemed to be getting swimming lessons from the psyduck and horsea. It was fun to watch him paddle out into the water and ride the soft waves back in.

Flare, Sam, Pita, and Sunny were all staying well away from the water's edge. They were rolling in the warm sand and playing with fire. Sunny was content to watch the other fire pokemon play catch with a ball of flame that Rimo was controlling. Rimo used his ghost powers to contain Sam's will-o-wisp so they could throw it around.

The rest of the pokemon were hanging out by the trees. Erik was sitting under a tree, meditating with his electebuzz and scyther. Verde was sleeping in some grass. Cali was laying on the sand, watching as Jamie and I trained our respective ditto.

"Okay, Snuf," I coached my ditto. "We're gonna try using some moves after you transform."

"To! Ditto!" she squeaked, her purple body shimmering in the receding sunlight. I grinned. She was really full of energy.

"Let's try transforming into something easy first…" I looked around our little campsite. "Sunny!" I called. The little eevee bounced up to me. "Would you mind modeling for Snuf?"

"Vee! Eevee!" she crooned. She stood between Snuf and me and struck a pose.

"Ha-ha okay," I giggled. "You ready Snuf? Transform!"

Snuf studied Sunny for a second, then she closed her eyes. She shimmered and glowed for a few seconds, then there was a perfect replica of Sunny standing in front of me.

"Eevee!" Sunny exclaimed, startled. She bounced behind my legs and peeked out.

"It's okay Sunny," I laughed. "Great job Snuf! Now, let's try some moves. Use sand attack!"

Snuf stood unsteadily on her legs and took a few steps. She turned and started to kick her legs in the sand, but lost her balance and fell!

"Eev…" she muttered, dejected.

"It's okay, Snuf. Sunny? Can you show Snuf how to do it?" I asked. Sunny smiled brightly and walked next to Snuf. The two chattered in their language, then Sunny turned and used a great sand attack to demonstrate. Snuf tried it after, and managed to kick up some sand without falling.

I took note that it would be best for Snuf to watch another pokemon battle for a few turns before using hard attacks. She seemed to have quite the photographic memory.

I continued to train with Snuf until there was not enough light to see. I trained with several types of pokemon, having each train Snuf with different special attacks. I realized that the more familiar she became with using different bodies, the better she would adapt in battle.

The one thing I didn't do that I wanted to was to train her to fly as a flying type. But Juez was gone again, Scanning the night sky at Erik's command.

That night, I laid down with Cali and Jamie under the trees to sleep. I was thinking about past events and those to come, when I groaned.

"What? What is is Al?" Cali asked. I sighed and rolled towards her.

"We never took those balls I got from the Rocket kid to the police station," I started. "I can't believe we forgot!"

"I didn't," Jamie said smugly. We looked at him.

"What? Obviously you did. We never turned them in"

"You're forgetting that Jenny is my Mom. I messaged her from my Pokell when you told me about them. She said it would be better for us to have Oak examine them." He smiled and laid back down.

"Did you just not mention it to me?" I asked, hurt.

"You seemed to have forgotten, and you clearly did. I didn't think telling you would do anything unless you brought it up," he stammered. I snorted.

"Or YOU just forgot to tell US!" Cali said indignantly. I nodded.

"I did not, it just wasn't important! You were doing the right thing anyway," he said defensively. Cali and I just looked at each other and rolled our eyes.

"Whatever Jamie," Cali said. "I'm just glad that we were on the right path in the first place," she said to me. I nodded and yawned.

"Yeah, Oak will know better what to do about these pokeballs than the police would have anyway," I said, halfway joking.

"Hey!" Jamie said, offended. Cali and I laughed.

"Payback!" I said, grinning. Cali giggled.

I yawned again. "Well, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow if we're gonna get off of this bridge by nightfall." I closed my eyes. "Goodnight everybody."

"Goodnight Al!" Cali giggled.

"Night, Al," yawned Jamie.

I brought my legs up to my chest and took a deep breath. Then I heard something strange.

"Goodnight Allora," said Erik. I jumped. His voice sounded like it was right next to my ear, and it was whispered. But, he wasn't even close to me! He was sitting behind a tree again, just like the night before.

_I must be hearing things_, I thought. Before I could think too hard about it, however, I fell into a deep sleep.

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><p>What is up with Erik? :) Think about it. PM me your guesses if you dare! Dont forget to check out my contest in chapter 10!<p> 


	11. The Bridge and The Cave

CONGRADULATIONS to Koolaid656 for winning the triannual Silverfieldsofroses competition with his outstanding chapter Under the Same Moon! The story was told from a really unique pokemon's perspective, it was very origional, and it followed all of the guidelines set for the competition completely! Koolaid656 is an amazing author that you Silverfield fans would love! his writing style is captivating, and his stories are artfully written. I would recommend his story Pokemon Champions of Kanto for everyone to check out. The chapters are lengthy and gratifying. Thanks so much to all of those who participated! Choosing which story to select was a real challenge. I enjoyed each chapter I read, and I firmly believe that strong stories could stem from all submitted chapters. Thank's again for competing, and congradulations to Koolaid656!

Silverfield

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><p>"I just don't understand," Cali whined. Jamie laced his fingers between hers as we walked.<p>

"Cali, you took on a fisherman… with FIRE pokemon. That was not the smartest move," I said. "You battled well though. It didn't help that he had four pokemon to your two. It was a close match! Don't get too down."

"Yeah, and Flare learned how to use smokescreen!" Jamie added comfortingly. Cali sniffed and nodded.

"Yeah, I guess so," she said sadly.

"Maybe you, as a fire trainer, should avoid those with solely water types," Erik pondered aloud.

"Well, no shit Sherlock I think she got that much." I grinned and lightly punched him in the arm. That comment got Cali to giggle, and she was soon back to her old self again.

It was just after midday. Cali had decided on having her very first battle with a fisherman, and that didn't exactly go as planned for her. We had only been on the bridge for a couple hours when Cali lost her first battle. The fact that it was her only battle so far didn't help.

But, after much comforting, she got over it.

"Next time, battle a florist," Jamie joked. She giggled again.

We were sitting along the water's edge eating lunch when I remembered something. I reached into my bag and pulled out my compact fishing rod. I took a piece of bread from my sandwich and stuck it on the hook, then I cast out into the water. Everyone had seen my work and they were now watching intently and silently.

Well, most of them.

"So, when does the pokemon bite?" Cali asked after about two seconds.

"Fishing is a quiet sport," I said, exasperated. She rolled her eyes.

"Which is exactly why I collect fire pokemon. Fishing is boring." She laid back onto the dock and closed her eyes. "Wake me up when something interesting happens."

I was convinced that this would be easy. I released Noche from his ball to help me weaken the water type, especially since he had learned to swim the night before. Erik and Jamie sat and watched for a while, but eventually they got bored and decided to take a walk along the dock. Cali snoozed away, her sunhat over her eyes. I was even getting bored!

Noche even laid down and started to take a nap. It was surely an hour before I had a bite. I was dozing slightly when I felt a tug on my rod. I was immediately awake. Noche was also staring intently at the water.

"Do you see it?" I whispered. Suddenly, there was a huge tug at the poll. I nearly fell into the water before I regained my composure enough to reel it- whatever it was- in.

I pulled and reeled and pulled until out of the water popped-

"A poliwag!" I shouted, triumphant. I reeled it onto the dock. Cali, awake finally, stood and backed away, having had her fair share of water pokemon that morning.

"Um, you can take care of that, right? I'm going to find Jamie and Erik." She turned and fled in the opposite direction.

The poliwag spit out the hook and narrowed its eyes at me. This was the time!

"Noche! Return!" I ordered. Noche's bell glowed and his head shone with a white light. He took off sprinting towards the poliwag.

The tadpole pokemon began shooting out a stream of bubbles towards Noche in a panic, but its bubble attack wasn't strong enough to break his momentum. Noche and the white light burst through the bubbles and slammed right into poliwag's chest.

"Yes!" I cheered. I snagged a pokeball out of my bag. "Pokeball, go!" I threw the ball towards the poliwag, and the pokemon disappeared into the ball. Noche's return must have been extremely powerful, for there was almost no struggle before the tadpole was caught.

"Great job buddy!" I praised Noche as I petted his head. "Now we have a water pokemon on our team!" As I congratulated Noche, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to find Cali, Jamie, and Erik approaching me on the dock.

"Look guys!" I shouted, taking the ball out of my pocket. "Come on out and show yourself!"

The white light solidified into my new poliwag. The poor thing almost fell over while it stood on the ground!

"Oops. Here you go buddy, try this." I reached into my bag and got out a potion, then sprayed it on the pokemon. Almost instantly, he was smiling and bouncing around on the dock.

"Wag! Poliwag!" he squeaked.

"Let's see, I'll name you… splash! Is that okay with you?" I asked. He squeaked again and ran up to me and nuzzled my leg.

"Aw! He's so cute! And he already likes you!" Cali skipped over to me and bent down, holding her arms out to Splash. "Come here, you!"

Splash, enjoying the attention, ran right into Cali's arms and crooned as she petted him.

I rolled my eyes. "At least you're overcoming your fear of water pokemon this way." I looked over at Jamie and Erik. "What did you guys do for the last hour?"

Jamie grinned. "Check this out. Come on out!" He threw a pokeball into the air, and from the flash of white light came a pidgey.

"That's awesome Jamie! Where did you find it?" I asked. I bent and petted Noche on the head as I listened.

"You wouldn't believe how close we are to the end of this bridge. It's about a 20 minute walk that way." He pointed over my shoulder. "Erik and I were just walking when we saw the group of them. I had Purp transform into one to practice flying, but he wasn't really getting the hang of it. So, I decided to catch one so we could practice later." The pidgey stretched its wings out and flapped a few times to land on Jamie's shoulder. "Her name is Vuela."

"Cool." I smiled. Two new additions to our group and it was not even three o'clock! "Well, if we are so close to the end of this bridge, I think we should get a move on, don't you?" Everyone nodded.

Splash and Azul swam next to us in the water as we made our way to land. It wasn't too long before we saw the way off of the bridge.

"Look! The dock!" Cali sprinted towards the shore and fell on her knees, kissing the dry land. Jamie rolled his eyes but followed close behind, recalling Azul as he stepped onto the grass.

"You know, Cali, water isn't exactly the end of the world…" he began. Cali looked at him for a second, but then looked down at the grass.

"I just don't like being wet. Or losing to water type trainers. During my first battle. Ever." Her voice got higher pitched and she started to cry again. Jamie immediately put his arms around her. She buried her face into his chest and sobbed. He sighed.

"Maybe it was a little too early to tease you about that…" A muffled wail from his chest was his answer.

I wasn't about to spill Cali's secret to Jamie. She would tell him when she was ready. Cali never learned to swim, and she is absolutely terrified of water. Mostly just deep, unending water, like the ocean or big lakes. And mostly wherever she can't touch the ground.

Water pokemon even freak her out, and not just because she is a fire type trainer. She just doesn't like them. Mostly the fishy ones, like goldeen and remoraid. I think she was okay with Splash because he has legs.

Eventually she calmed down, and we started down the path towards Vermillion. It took us less than an hour to reach the checkpoint between Silence Bridge and route 11. It probably would have taken us even less time, but I insisted on having Splash walk along with us for a while. It just sucked that his walk was more like a waddle/limp/old-man-with-a-cane hitch. So after a while of torturously slow walking, I came to the conclusion that A: I would have to really train him to work on speed and B: he couldn't walk with us anymore.

But after that we made great time.

We marched into the fresh air-conditioned air that was the checkpoint station and went straight to a table to sit. Jamie whipped out his map and spread it out on the table.

Erik pointed to a spot on the map; our location. "This is where we are," he moved his finger over to the left. "And here is Vermillion. It would take us another four hours to walk there. I believe we should stay the night here and head that way in the morning. We would be walking in the dark if we left now."

"I agree." I jerked my thumb over to the front desk. "We can just get a room here for the night and head there in the morning. Besides, I bet they have room service." I won Jamie over with that comment. He stood up and headed straight to the desk. Erik stood too.

"Where are you going?" Cali asked. He smiled slightly.

"If we are going into a cave, I think we should have some proper spelunking pokemon, don't you think?" And with that, he headed over to the PCs along the wall and started depositing some pokeballs.

Cali gave me a look. "He just keeps on coming with the surprises, doesn't he?" She glanced over her shoulder at him again. "I wonder how many pokemon he has in there?"

"I doubt we will ever know," I groaned. "Even if we asked, he wouldn't tell us." Jamie was headed back towards the table, a dopey grin on his face.

"I got us an awesome deal on a couple rooms." His smile was ridiculous.

"How?" Cali wondered.

"Oh, I have my ways with the ladies. That receptionist just really seemed to like me." His ego was bigger than a snorlax, but I wasn't stupid.

"You told her you were Officer Jenny's kid, didn't you?" I asked knowingly. He looked baffled.

"What? I did… How did you…?"

"I'm not that stupid Jamie. I don't think anyone but Cali thinks you're that good 'with the ladies'" Cali blushed at that one.

"Whatever, Al. You don't even know!" He stuck his tongue out at me and we all laughed. An employee came over and offered us menus which we gladly accepted. Once Erik came back we ate dinner and headed to our separate rooms; guys in one, girls in the other.

I think the exhaustion and full stomach finally got to Cali as we got to our rooms. She literally changed clothes and fell right asleep. I released Sunny and Noche to snuggle with, and within seconds I was fast asleep.

* * *

><p>"So, where's the entrance to Diglett's Cave anyway?"<p>

Erik and I exchanged a quick look and rolled our eyes.

"Cali, it's a giant cave. If I'm not mistaken, it has a few entrances. I'm sure we'll see it," I explained. She stretched her arms out over her head and yawned.

"Let's just hurry up and get there, I could use some excitement, and this hill is killing my thighs," she complained. This time, Jamie joined Erik and me in rolling our eyes.

When we reached the top of the hill, I gasped. The entire city of Vermillion was laid out before us. I easily spotted the red roof of the pokemon center and the blue roof of the mart. The gym was also easy to spot; donned with giant lightning bolts that sparkled in the sunlight and were angled as if they were striking the grandiose doorway.

Deep within me I felt a stirring. My inner trainer was awakening from her 16 year slumber. I grinned; just the sight of the gym made my pulse race. But, I knew that gym was much too difficult for me, though I didn't want to admit it. My inner trainer pouted and laid back down in bed.

"There it is. The entrance to the cave." Erik pointed to our right. There, beneath a canopy of trees, was a large crevice in the ground.

"Oh. I thought this cave was like, in a mountain or something," Cali said.

"Diglett live below the surface, their cave literally goes underground." Erik was right. Except for the gaping mouth in the grass, there was no other indication of a cave. The forest covered everything.

We reached the mouth of the cave and looked in. There was a set of steep stairs heading down into the gloom. It was absolutely pitch black. Erik pulled out a pokeball.

"Go, Zap." A pikachu appeared on the grass beside us. It grinned and stretched. It was unusual; there were several brown stripes on its head and arms, and a tuft of fur on top of its head.

"Pika! Pikachu!"

"Aw! It's so cute!" Cali immediately kneeled down and squeezed and petted the little mouse. I took out my Pokedex.

PIKACHU. THE MOUSE POKEMON. IT OCCASIONALLY USES AN ELECTRIC SHOCK TO RECHARGE A FELLOW PIKACHU THAT IS IN A WEAKENED STATE. Cali was right; it was super adorable.

"Zap, use flash for us." Zap closed his eyes, and its tail began to glow with a bright white light. "That should be enough to get us through," Erik stated matter-of-factly. The rest of us nodded.

Zap scurried up to Erik's shoulder, where he perched and looked into the cave, completely unafraid.

"Cool, let's go!" Jamie said enthusiastically. He headed down the steps right after Erik. Then Cali, then me.

Before I took my first step into the cave, I noticed something strange. There was a Jeep, just sitting behind a tree next to the entrance. There was no one in it, but it didn't look abandoned, just parked.

I only caught a glimpse of it before Cali shouted at me to hurry up. I descended into the darkness, muttering about impatience as I went.

To travel through the cave on foot would take four days at least. Erik is apparently impatient (and just plain surprising) because once we reached the bottom of the stairs, he produced four pokeballs, each containing a dodrio.

"Wow," was all I could say. So many questions leapt into my mouth, but before I had time to ask, Erik had started lecturing.

"We should hopefully be in Pewter by tonight by riding the dodrio They can run night and day at a steady pace of 60mph. The fewer stops the better, so I would eat now if I were you. Sit in the fold between their three heads and their bodies, and mind your fingers around the head on the left. It isn't as… reasonable as the others." I could almost hear the smile in his voice. His authority was so total that I simply nodded and whipped out a deli sandwich I had gotten from the checkpoint.

Erik traveled in the front with Zap on his shoulder, lighting the way as we travelled deeper and deeper into the cave. We only stopped once, and we really, really, REALLY should have kept going.

* * *

><p>Suddenly, Erik's dodrio stopped running, and Zap's tail went dark. The rest of our birds froze too. I freaked.<p>

"Erik? Erik, what's going on!" I shouted.

"Shhh!" came his voice from the darkness. "Look," he whispered. "Wait for your eyes to adjust."

I looked on, and slowly, my eyes dilated. Far in front of us was a small, fleeting spark. It traveled along the ground at a leisurely pace, but it was so faint I could barely see it. _How did Erik see that with Zap's bright light on? _

My dodrio started walking forward. The others were moving too; I could see their shadows in the faint light.

"Erik, what is it? What do you see?" Jamie asked hesitantly.

"It… it looks like a small fire, moving along a string." _A string?_

"Where's it going?" Cali asked.

"I can see the outline. It's moving towards the wall, towards a pile of rocks." The light was just inches away from the rocks. We all stared in wonder and confusion.

"Turn Zap's light back on," I suggested. He must have agreed, because in seconds the cave was lit again.

It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust, but then I saw my nightmare. It wasn't a pile of rocks.

It was a mountain. Of dynamite.

* * *

><p>CONGRADULATIONS to Koolaid656 for winning the triannual Silverfieldsofroses competition with his outstanding chapter Under the Same Moon! The story was told from a really unique pokemon's perspective, it was very origional, and it followed all of the guidelines set for the competition completely! Koolaid656 is an amazing author that you Silverfield fans would love! his writing style is captivating, and his stories are artfully written. I would recommend his story Pokemon Champions of Kanto for everyone to check out. The chapters are lengthy and gratifying. Thanks so much to all of those who participated! Choosing which story to select was a real challenge. I enjoyed each chapter I read, and I firmly believe that strong stories could stem from all submitted chapters. Thank's again for competing, and congradulations to Koolaid656!<p>

Silverfield

P.S. Kool, make sure you post on your profile that you won :) Thank's for entering


	12. Pewter City

Nice long chapter for all my readers! :) sorry it took so long. Hope you enjoy! Please read and comment!

* * *

><p>A scyther's reaction time wouldn't have been fast enough to put out that spark after we realized its purpose.<p>

"Dive!" Erik yelled, and all four of the dodrio dove to the left, just in time. The blast was earth shattering: literally.

BOOM! The walls of the cave shook and the floor literally caved. So did the ceiling. Rocks seemed to come from nowhere as they fell around us, sealing us in a stone tomb.

The blast had thrown me from my dodrio into the wall of the cave. Cali landed beside me; dazed, but alive. Rocks began to fall all around us, sealing us in. I had no idea where Erik, Jamie, or the dodrio had gone. I just held Cali tight and cried as the world collapsed around us.

Then, after what seemed like an eternity, there was silence.

I tried carefully to stand, but my head hit something when I reached a squat. I stuck my arms out in front of me and took a step forward. Then another. Then one more, and my hands touched something rough. We were in a space about the size of a jail cell; but shorter. I turned and felt my way back, striking tears from my cheeks as I went.

"Cali," I whimpered. "Are you okay?"

I heard a sniffle, then "Yeah, I'm fine. Just terrified."

"That makes two of us." My foot hit something soft, and I sat on the ground next to my best friend again. "Do you have your bag?"

"Yeah, you?"

I felt my shoulders and found the straps. "Yeah. At least our pokemon are okay." I closed my eyes, but I might as well have kept them open. There was no difference in the inky blackness. Then I had an idea.

"Cali, call Flare out. We could use the light on her tail right now." I felt her nodding beside me, and then some shifting as she fiddled through her bag. Then a light flashed and a bright flame appeared in front of us.

"Charma… Char?" Flare hesitated in mid-sentence as she processed the scene. Once my eyes adjusted to the new light, I could see how hopeless our situation was.

There was absolutely no way out. The rocks formed solid walls around us on all sides. There was just enough room for both of us to lay stretched out. Neither of us could stand up all the way. I stifled a sob. Cali wasn't so calm.

"Allora! Al, we're gonna die!" she wailed. I hugged her close and closed my eyes.

"Don't freak out. We need to stay positive, and think," I said, but I felt as if I was trying to convince myself more than her.

"There's… there's no… way out!" she cried between sobs. I looked around our cell. The situation really looked hopeless. Flare walked over to Cali and sat in her lap, snuggling into her chest. Cali's sobs slowed, but didn't stop.

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes and I blinked them away. If I lost it, Cali would be absolutely gone. I looked for hope; I looked hard.

"Jamie and Erik could still be out there, they could be okay…" I trailed off. There were voices coming from outside!

"Do you hear that Cali?" I asked. I felt her stiffen and sit up.

"Here! We're here! We're- mmph! Mmph?" I clamped my hand over her mouth and listened harder. That was definitely not Erik or Jamie. It was a man with a deep voice and a woman.

"Listen!" I hissed, and we both fell silent.

"That should have done it. Now let's cart these rocks out to the lab, we don't want the boss getting annoyed," the female voice said.

"Yeah. What does she need these for again?" said the male.

"Something about rare candies. I didn't understand what for but hey. I wasn't going to backtalk her. You know how she gets."

"Yeah. You saw what happened to Caleb right? Before he got two words out BAM! That machoke hit him so hard he didn't know what… Hey Kristen. Over here. See that light?" Shit.

"What light?" the female voice asked.

"Get your zubat to turn its flashlight off for a sec and come look at this." Cali and I exchanged panicked glances and I motioned to the pokeball. There was a flash of red and then darkness again. Well, almost. In the bottom left hand corner of the cell there was a tiny crack. For a second we saw a white light but then it was off.

"What light are you talking about Drew?" the woman asked again, obviously annoyed.

"I swear to Arceus, under these rocks, I just saw a glow, then a flash, then nothing!" the man said, obviously bewildered.

"Well I didn't see- oof!" There was a thud and then a muffle, like a body crumpling to the ground. Cali and I sat in stony silence.

"Kristen? Uh, Kristen? Zubat, use flash!" The light erupted from the corner again. "What the?"

"Onix, use constrict!" yelled a familiar voice. Erik.

"What? No!" Outside of our tomb we heard the sounds of a struggle.

"Onix! On… ix!" a pokemon roared.

"Zubat!" another pokemon cried. There was another small thud. Then a sound like the earth itself moving.

"Please… let, me go!" the man gasped.

"Where did you see that light?" Silence. "I said where scumbag!" Jamie. Interrogating just like a cop. His mom would be proud.

Silence again, then: "Onix, use dig! Get those rocks out of the way!" Seconds later, the rocks in the front of our tomb were cast aside, and I was blinking from the dazzling light coming from Zap. A giant rocky snake was coiled in front of us, and just behind it, I saw a man running away.

"Don't let them escape!" I yelled. I saw two dodrio leap for the man, Drew. But before they could reach him:

"Koffing, use smokescreen!" he yelled shrilly, clearly terrified. Then the cave was once again pitch black, but this time it smelled awful. Not even the light from Zap penetrated this new darkness.

"Go, Vuela! Use gust!" Jamie saved the day.

"Pidgey!" trilled a pokemon, then once again the cave was lit.

But the two were gone.

"Arceus!" Erik cursed. He pounded his fist on a rock, and the air seemed to vibrate with his anger. But suddenly, he relaxed. "Lowly grunts, not who I'm after," he muttered. His sudden outburst was so unlike him, it scared me.

He turned and approached me. "Al… are you okay?" There was genuine concern in his voice. His face was very close to mine, and I blushed.

"Yeah… I'm fine. It's Cali who you should be comforting…" As I said the words, I turned to her, then quickly wished I hadn't.

Jamie and Cali were kissing passionately against a rock. I guess it really takes a near death experience to bring people together. I rolled my eyes and looked back at Erik. He was staring, confused, at Cali and Jamie.

"What are they doing?" he asked. I laughed.

"Obviously expressing their feelings." He still looked confused. "Most people kiss in normal settings, but I guess stress does that to people." I watched Erik closely. He looked on for a few more seconds, then shook his head, clearing his mind of some thought I guess.

I coughed, loudly. "Um, guys." No response. "GUYS!" They finally broke apart, grinning stupidly at each other. "I don't know about you two, but I wanna get the HELL out of this cave."

"Yes!" Cali ran up to me and gave me a huge hug. "Let's get out of here."

We resumed our formation and prepared to leave when I had a thought. I grabbed one of the pieces of rock that was in some of the wheelbarrows around the blast zone. It had some sort of blue glisten on its underside, where the blast had broken it from the cave wall. After I picked it up, I noticed something strange about the rock beneath it. This second rock was amber in color, and glistened brightly, even in the dim lighting.

I grabbed that one too, and we headed out.

* * *

><p>"Air! Fresh air! Freedom!" Cali screamed as she rode her dodrio out of the cave. She jumped off and dropped to the grass, kissing it and looking at the setting sun.<p>

"We made good time, even with our… roadblock," Erik observed. We three dismounted the dodrio and Erik collected them again.

"Pewter is over that hill." Jamie pointed over to our right. "It's only a few miles from here. We can make it by dark even if we walk. We can rest at the pokemon center for the night."

I nodded and stretched my arms out over my head. The air was colder than by Viridian; Pewter is much further north. I managed to calm Cali down enough for us to get on our way, and we headed over the hill.

After we reached the top, an amazing sight was laid out before us. The city of Pewter was shone out beneath us, sparkling in the dim light of the receding sun.

"Look! Over there!" Cali pointed across my body to the left, at the museum. Pewter is famous for its pioneering research in extracting pokemon from fossils. Its museum/laboratory is by far the most advanced in the five regions. It shone brightly with spotlights, and I could clearly make out the gigantic statues of kabuto and omanyte in the courtyard; the first two pokemon ever extracted from fossils.

We headed straight into the heart of the city, towards the crimson roof of the pokemon center. It was almost nine when we staggered through the revolving doors and into a booth. We ordered and devoured our fair shares of a pokemon center buffet.

It was nearly eleven before we crashed into our rented rooms. I brushed my teeth and flopped down in bed next to Cali. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

* * *

><p>"<em>She has not yet proven herself worthy to us," said a deep male voice. It rang with sadness and echoed in the silence.<em>

"_The two must become stronger and earn our trust," said another, a woman. The voice seemed to be warm and glowing. "Only then will the connection be complete, and our plans become reality."_

"_Knowing is not enough. Do not make yourself known."_

"_We misread the signs. It is up to us, and to time. Hopefully their flaws will subside." _

"_Only they two can stop him. They can find it. I've seen it."_

_Suddenly, a third, seemingly familiar voice spoke. "As you command it, your majesties."_

* * *

><p>I woke, head fuzzy and misty. <em>Another weird dream? <em>I shook my head to clear it of the mystical, sad voices, and rolled out of bed to get dressed.

We headed out of the pokemon center, refreshed and energized. "So, what do we want to do now?" Cali asked. Everyone turned expectantly to me.

I stared back, confused. "What?"

"Well duh!" Cali threw her hands up in the air. "Don't you wanna challenge the gym today?" Oh. Right.

Pewter City Gym. Rock types. The late gym leader Brock had given up the gym to his son recently and gone into retirement, and the new guy was supposed to be tough. His name was Itone, and he learned a lot from his dad.

"I guess so, but can't we do that later? I want to walk around the city first," I whined. There had been too much excitement for me the day before; I just wanted to relax. Cali mumbled some kind of agreement. Jamie and Erik looked at each other and grinned, speaking in silent guy-talk. _Arceus._

We ended up taking a tour of the museum. Boy am I glad we did. I would never have met a dear friend of mine if we hadn't.

We took the five-buck tour and followed closely behind our over-enthusiastic guide as he talked about the various fossils, and the pokemon that can be extracted from each, for a fee of course.

"Now, because trainers have been finding fossils more and more often, and extracting is a much more exact science than twenty years ago, you can get your fossils converted for a fee of only fifty dollars! Unless…" he paused for effect. "It is THIS fossil." He gestured over to another glass case. I glanced at it for a second, looked back at Cali, then did a double take. _Is that…_

The fossil in the case was an amber colored stone. It glistened in the artificial light of the museum, and captured the eye of everyone who passed by. Especially mine. I swallowed, my mouth dry.

"Sir?" I raised my hand.

"Yes darling!" Our guide said way too enthusiastically. I was probably the first person to ever ask a question while on a tour. And probably the last.

"How much would it cost to get that fossil extracted?" I gestured towards the case.

"Well! I'm glad you asked. You see…" he started talking.

"Why did you have to-" Cali whisper-groaned. I shushed her harshly and listened to what the guide said.

"… fossil of aerodactyl, an exceptional pokemon indeed! Very few aerodactyl fossils have been brought to the museum, so we would actually extract the pokemon for one free of charge! The opportunity to study the genetic makeup of such a fossil would be payment in itself for any aspiring scientist! Now moving on, in this next case..."

Oh my.

I gave Cali a look, and her jaw dropped. "No you don't"

"I think I do."

"How the eff did you, Al?"

"The cave, during the collapse… I…"

"What are you guys whispering about?" Jamie butted in-between us. "Well?"

Cali rolled her eyes. "Don't worry Jamie, you'll find out soon enough."

I glanced at Erik. He grinned knowingly and shook his head, rolling his eyes to the ceiling.

* * *

><p>"Oh my. Oh my goodness! Wow! This is quite astonishing! I believe you have yourself an Old Amber Fossil! This is quite the specimen!"<p>

After the tour, I pulled our guide aside and showed him the rock that I had snagged from Diglett's Cave. He about had a heart attack, and immediately took us to an elevator, where we were whisked almost two miles straight down into a fantastic underground laboratory.

We stood now in a pearly white office with four old scientists oogling over my rock. Erik looked uninterested, as usual, but Jamie and Cali were standing with their mouths open, looking at the stone.

"So… you're saying you can create a pokemon from the DNA in the amber?" I asked hesitantly.

"Oh! Young lady, I am so sorry for our curiosity. We haven't even introduced ourselves. I'm Herb," said the youngest looking of the scientists. He had black, nearly graying hair, and wore a white labcoat.

The others introduced themselves in turn, then allowed Herb to explain. "Your specimen is so perfect, we could extract a couple aerodactyl from here!" Herb grinned triumphantly, his bushy mustache bouncing up with his cheekbones. "Why, possibly even of separate genders!"

"Um, sir, if you don't mind me asking, what is the specimen of, exactly?" Jamie, always curious about science.

"Oh! Why, young fellow, that is very simple. This, my good friends, happens to be a very potent sample of fossilized aerodactyl urine!" The four scientists nodded their heads and burst into conversation again. Cali, Jamie, and I stared at each other for a few moments, speechless, until Jamie started cracking up.

"HAHA so you're telling me that Al was carrying around fossilized dinosaur piss in her bag?_ Mew_ that is hysterical hahahaha!" If it would have been socially acceptable, he would have been rolling on the floor.

I rolled my eyes and asked another question. "So, the tour guide said the extraction would be free… is that true?"

"Of course dear!" Herb said ecstatic. "This sample is so perfect that it would be payment in itself just to extract the ancient pokemon from within! It is so large that you have to wonder if more than one set of DNA could be encased!"

"Excellent!"

"Wonderful!"

"Amazing!"

"So, how long does extraction take?" I asked. Suddenly I was eager to receive my new pokemon; a rare extinct dinosaur!

"Well, you youngsters could actually stay in my office for the entire process! It shouldn't take more than an hour; and that's only because I want our top scientists examining the fossil to determine if there is more than one set of DNA!" Herb opened the door and gestured for the other three scientists to leave. One of them put on a pair of rubber gloves and gingerly picked up the stone. The three carefully and eagerly headed over to a strange looking machine in the lab and started work. Herb closed the door to his office again and sat down at his desk.

"Now, if you don't mind me asking, do you mind reciting the tale as to how you came upon such a stone?"

So Jamie and I recited the story of our trip through Diglett's Cave, with occasional interjections from Cali and Erik. Jamie told of how Erik's Onix dug through their rocky tomb and freed them, and how they overheard the Rocket's talking about the dim glow coming from the avalanche. Erik had used his Onix to knock out the woman, and constrict the man until he revealed the location of the glow.

I talked about what I had heard the two talking about, when I remembered the other rock I had taken from the site. After we finished the story, I produced the stone. "And I picked this rock up, and the fossil was underneath it."

I placed the stone on the desk. Most of it seemed to be a regular rock, but one of the sides was a shiny light blue; it almost looked wet. Herb's eyes darkened.

"Ah, that is Levinium. A rare element only found in the deepest recesses of Diglett's Cave. Half a century ago, my wife, bless her soul, and I were partnered with another couple and we discovered this element. We used digletts to dig around the site of discovery and continued to find more and more. We hired thousands of diglett to help us dig for the element. My associate and I discovered a way to harness the element into a way to quickly level up pokemon. We processed the stone into candies, and made a great deal of profit from aspiring trainers. We created an underground tunnel from Viridian to Pewter for the easy transport from the refinement lab to the ports in Viridian for shipment.

However, some people wanted to use Levinium for their own personal gain. Especially the group Team Rocket. So, before things could get out of hand, my wife destroyed our lab with her electrode." Herb had tears welling up in his eyes. I was shocked at this display of emotion from the excitable scientist.

"The creation of what then became known as Rare Candies was finished. My wife… was trapped in the lab and sacrificed her life for the good of Kanto. The diglett escaped and now reside as wild in what is now known as Diglett's Cave." Herb wiped his eye with a tissue and blinked. He stared at the tissue for a second, then shook his head as if clearing his head. "But now you say Team Rocket is trying to harvest Levinium again?"

"Well," I began. "It looked as if they were just seeing if there was any still left. I mean, they only sent two lowly grunts."

"Ah, but there will be more." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his Pokell. "I'll send an email to the police departments in Pewter and Viridian to have them set up a guard around Diglett's Cave. Who knows what kind of ruckus Rocket is trying to pull with the Levinium. All I know is: they must not have it!"

Herb typed and sent his email, then addressed us once more. "Now, enough time has passed! Let us go and check on our extraction!" He stood and led the four of us out of his office into the laboratory.

In the center of the laboratory was what looked like a CAT scanner. The lights were blinking and several more scientists had joined the previous group of three. To the left of the scanner were two rows of large glass tubes filled with a glowing blue liquid. The tubes went from floor to ceiling, looked as if three large men could fit in each, and there were about ten in all. Cali, Jamie, and I stared in awe at the machines in the center of the lab. Erik seemed bored.

I studied the tubes as we followed Herb to them. Within four of the tubes, I could see small life forms. They were no bigger than a pidgey, but seeming to grow at a rapid rate. I watched and tried to discern their forms through the cloudy blue water.

"Dr. Cedar! Dr. Cedar!" A young scientist that was not previously in the office with us ran up to Herb in excitement. "You're not going to believe this sir."

"What is it son?"

"There were four separate sets of DNA within the Old Amber Fossil, sir," the young man said proudly.

Herb was overjoyed. "Excellent! When will they be ready for hands on examination?"

"We are performing the final vital signs check now sir, then they will be in the examination room. Sir, there's two females!" The young scientist was nearly jumping with joy. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

We reached the computers at the base of one of the tubes, and the younger scientist started pushing some buttons as Herb watched. Suddenly, a red light shone brightly at the top of each of the tubes. It travelled from the top of each to the bottom and back, and then, just as quick. as it had come, it was gone.

"Vital signs look normal on four."

"Two's lookin' good, doc.

"One's lookin fine," said the young scientist at my right. There was silence. "Hey three! What's up?"

"Dr. Cedar! Come look at this." Herb practically ran to the station to my left, nearly knocking Erik down in the process. The two scientists mumbled at each other, making obscure hand gestures and frantically pushing buttons. Then Herb suddenly turned back to us and stalked over to our station.

"Three is acting up. We're gonna keep her in and pump some extra vitamins in to settle her stats, but she should be fine. However, the other three are ready for transfer Dr. Burnt," Herb said authoritatively. The younger scientist, Dr. Burnt, quickly nodded his head and turned back to the computer. He pushed a few buttons, and there was a KER-CHUNK. Then, three of the tubes began to drain, including the one right in front of me. The floating pokemon was sucked down into the bottom along with the strange blue fluid, and then it was all gone.

"Follow me," Herb said. He turned to the right and started walking. Dr. Burnt started following him too, and the rest of us soon after. We passed the giant CAT scan machine and went through another door. The door was the furthest right of three. The other two were labeled kabuto and omanyte. This one was labeled aerodactyl, and looked rusty and underused.

This room was way different than the others. It was set up like a zoo enclosure, with rocks and an artificial river and everything. There were cliff faces with jagged caves cut into the sides of them, and pine trees growing along the ground. Directly to the left of the doorway were ten holes in the wall with small metal pools in front of each. There was blue liquid pouring from the first, second, and fourth holes and filling up the pools in the ground. However, the water flow was petering out, and I could see the three baby aerodactyl laying in the shallow water.

Three scientists rushed over to the pools, gently picked up each pokemon, and carried them over to an examination table. They quickly dried them off and injected them in the wing with something red.

The aerodactyl on two started to move, followed soon after by one and four. They opened their eyes and glanced around the room, stretching their wings and sitting up on their hind legs.

"Now, you may choose which one you wish to have," said Herb. He led me over to the examination tables.

The pokemon on one snapped at my fingers as soon as I reached out towards it. I jerked my hand back. "That's the other female," Herb said. "They're usually meaner than the males, its instinctual to protect their eggs." I looked it over again before moving to the next table. I could see Herb physically relax; I could tell he really wanted me to take a male.

The one on two stared into my eyes as I approached it. I gingerly reached my hand out towards it, guiding my fingertips towards its nostrils. He sniffed my hand cautiously, and he must have decided I was okay because he pushed his snout into my palm. I smiled and rubbed his surprisingly soft nose.

"I'll take two," I told Herb confidently. The scientist smiled and clapped me on the shoulder.

"Good choice my dear." He immediately launched into a speech about the proper care of aerodactyl; what they eat, dental care, training, ect. I listened to him as I took in the appearance of my new pokemon.

He was about the size of a large dog, though Herb said that they grow to be over five times that size. He walked towards me on the table on four legs, with his wings folded into his side. His forelegs attached to his purple wings, and his long spear-like tail slid along the metal behind him. Once he reached me at the end of the table he carefully stood onto his hind legs, wobbling slightly before becoming balanced. In this position he could look me in the eye. His eyes were a deep gray, but held a spark of life.

I grinned, and he seemed to grin back, baring his teeth as if mirroring me. But could mostly see the smile in his eyes.

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><p>Have a suggestion for a name for the latest member of Al's team? Leave it in a review!<p> 


	13. Rock and Roll

I lied in my last post. I just realized that I had more than half of a new chapter already saved on my computer! Enjoy, I finished it today!

I do not own Pokemon.

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><p>Four hours later, I was I tossing a shiny new pokeball back and forth between my hands nervously as I waited in line at the Pewter City Gym.<p>

I was one of two trainers in line at the front desk. My friends stood to one side of the front door and talked quietly as I stood. I was in the dimly lit lobby directly inside of the Gym doors. I glanced around. There were two doors on either side of the front desk, each as ominous looking as its twin. On the wall there were pictures of rock-type pokemon using awesome looking moves on their opponents. I swallowed and turned back towards the desk.

It didn't take very long for the trainer in front of me to finish registering, and all of a sudden I was at the front desk, filling out my first gym paperwork. I minimized Icarus's pokeball, stuck it in my bag, and picked up a pen.

**NAME?** Allora Rosetta Silverfield.

**AGE?** 16.

**OCCUPATION? **Trainer.

**DO YOU AGREE TO THE BATTLE TERMS OF A TWO POKEMON SINGLE BATTLE MATCH, WITH THE LAST TRAINER WITH A POKEMON WHO CAN FIGHT BEING PRONOUNCED THE WINNER?** Check.

**DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU BATTLE AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT THE PEWTER CITY GYM IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH ACCOMPANYING THE BATTLE TO EITHER TRAINER OR POKEMON?** Yep.

And just like that, I had signed up for my first gym battle. I slid the form under the window, and the secretary took it and placed it in a manila folder. I glanced behind me and gestured to Cali, Jamie, and Erik to follow as I started towards the door on the right. I opened the door and stepped inside, holding it open for Cali. But just as she was about to step in-

"Ma'am, I am sorry, but that door is for challengers only," came a voice from the desk, soft but stern. "Supporters should take the door on the left. Any parting words should be said in the lobby. Thank you."

I grimaced and stepped back into the lobby with Cali. She looked into my eyes for only a moment before she threw herself at me, hugging me tight.

"You're gonna do awesome!" She squeezed me tight for an excessively long time before releasing me again. "I just know you're gonna win, I'll be rooting for you!" She grinned widely, and stepped back as Jamie approached me.

"Kick some ass girl!" He stuck his fist out and pounded mine like the gangster he is. "You're gonna kill it! We'll all be up in the stands watching, you'll do fine." He ended his epic speech with a bear hug that nearly punctured my lungs. I gasped, smiling, when he finally let me go. He stepped back, grabbed Cali's hand, and gave me an inspirational wink.

Erik was last to offer encouraging words:

"Rock pokemon are tough. Don't overthink things. Good luck."

Oh how inspiring.

I nodded at each of my friends and hugged Cali one last time before I disappeared into the darkness of the challenger's waiting room, the door booming shut behind me.

It took me a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. There were four chairs in the waiting room, each one in its own corner. A water cooler stood to one side; disposable cups and all, and a small end table was directly across from it against the wall. Otherwise the room was empty, cold, and soundproof. Everything was in shades of brown and gray and black. Stereotypical rock-themed room.

I sat in the closest chair to me, sinking down into the cushion. _At least it's not as hard as a rock pokemon, _I thought. I reached into my bag and pulled out my pokemon.

"All right everyone, come on out and let's talk strategy." I tossed all five balls into the air and was momentarily blinded by the light. I blinked away the stars and looked my team over.

Sunny and Noche stood in the center of the room, side by side and already chattering with each other. Snuf and Splash were examining each other, and Icarus was sitting at my side, staring intently at my eyes.

"Wag!" Splash squealed suddenly. Snuf had surprised him by transforming into another poliwag! Splash wagged his tail to the left and watched, amazed, as Snuf mimicked him. The two grinned identical poliwag grins and began to chitter back and forth.

"Listen everybody," I began. "This is the newest member of our team, Icarus, the aerodactyl. Now you guys make sure to make him feel welcome." Sunny immediately headed over to Icarus and started chattering excitedly. Icarus listened, and then spoke back. This was the first time I had heard him make sound, so I was captivated. When in battle, aerodactyl make screeching, hissing, roaring sounds to be intimidating. But, as I learned that day, when they are making small talk, their voices sound like the whistling wind.

"Dactyl, aer aero," he whistled at Sunny, and the two continued their conversation. Soon, the other three pokemon joined in the discussion until I couldn't hear myself think.

"Alright, quiet down guys!" I yelled when it started getting out of control. The five quickly stopped chattering with each other and focused on me. "Now, today we are facing Itone, the rock gym leader. I've put a lot of thought into it and decided that Splash and Snuf will be the ones battling." The two identical poliwags grinned at each other and slapped tails. Sunny looked relieved, Icarus looked attentive as ever, and Noche looked disappointed.

The darker eevee butted my leg. "Eev?" Noche cooed in question to my decision. I picked the ball of fluff off of the floor, put him in my lap, and looked him in the eye. His ears were laid back against his skull and there were tiny tears in his eyes.

"I know you like battling, but you have absolutely no advantage against rock types," I said soothingly. "The other two can work the types in our advantage, but you would only get hurt if you tried to fight this fight. Sunny too! You didn't do anything wrong buddy." I patted his head, and placed him gently back on the floor. His ears slowly lifted from his head and he nodded.

I turned my attention back to my battlers. "Okay, Snuf, let's see that bubble attack." I watched as the faux poliwag inhaled deeply, and then exhaled a concentrated stream of bubbles. They bombarded the wall across from me, popping against the brown paint and leaving it dripping wet.

That was the only practice I got, because just at that moment, a petit but business-like woman entered the mystery door. She blinked, digesting the scene in front of her (wet wall, embarrassed Allora!) but quickly regained her composure. "Itone will see you now."

My stomach did flip flops as she exited the small room. I quickly returned all of my pokemon except for Splash, whom I picked up and carried out of the waiting room. I was too nervous to patiently wait on his painfully slow waddle. I opened the heavy metal door and stepped into the interior of the gym.

I was immediately aware of my surroundings. I was on the first floor of a two story gymnasium. I was around ten yards from the trainer box at the near end of the battlefield. It was a standard battlefield; with boundary lines and a pokeball shaped circle in the middle. It was around the same size as a basketball court, and studded with rocks and boulders of all sizes.

"Yoo hoo! Al!" I heard on my left. I glanced over, but saw no one. "Up here silly!" cried a familiar voice. I glanced up. Cali was waving excitedly over the railing of the second floor observers' deck. Jamie was laughing and shaking his head. Erik simply nodded. I smiled broadly and took another step onto the field. Knowing my friends were there to cheer me on boosted my confidence to level I severely needed. I took another step.

"Welcome!" boomed a deep voice. A door slammed across the battlefield. A tall, husky man with spiky brown hair was making his way into the trainer box on the other side. "You are Allora?" I nodded. "Excellent! Please, allow me to introduce myself. I, am Itone! The rock type leader. Do you believe you are well prepared, Allora?" His booming voice resonated throughout the gym and vibrated the air around my ears. All I could do was nod, mouth gaping open. "Well, what are you waiting for!"

I blinked a few times and shook my head. I had somehow made my way over to my trainer box. I gulped and stepped inside. I placed a nervous Splash at my feet and, with a nod and a nudge, managed to get him onto the battlefield. "You can do it buddy!" I encouraged.

Suddenly, there was an earthquake at my feet! I gasped and crouched to the ground, covering my head and squinting my eyes tight. But, the ground was moving up! I opened one eye and realized my trainer box was rising to the ceiling. It crunched to a stop. I slowly stood from the fetal position, vaguely comprehended the sound of Cali laughing hysterically, and looked over the edge of my now ten-foot-tall perch.

"Are you okay over there?" boomed Itone. I tried to make sound, but only a breathless wheeze came out. I tried again, finally finding my voice to the gym leader. "Yes, I'm fine! Just surprised is all." I found a little time to shoot Cali a dirty look, who snorted in laughter in response.

I really was fine, better even. I realized that from my perch on the stand I could see the entirety of the battlefield very clearly, and I was also safe from any falling rocks, which was also a relief.

I took a breath and regained my composure, finding that courage that my friends had given me just before I stepped onto the battlefield. And just in time too.

"The leader and opponent will be allowed two pokemon each in a single battle match," announced a woman's voice from speakers on the gym walls. "The trainer with the last pokemon standing will win!" Two referees dressed in standard black and white gear stepped to opposite sidelines of the field. "Begin!"

The leader Itone, who looked more than comfortable on his perch, began the match. "I choose you, geodude!" He threw a ball into the air, and after a flash of white light, a floating boulder appeared on the field. The geodude pounded its fists together and grinned.

_It sure looks powerful_, I thought to myself, but I shook my head and spoke. "I choose my poliwag, Splash!" I called. Splash waddled onto the court. I had a sudden terrible realization, watching Splash struggle on the rough terrain of the gym floor. Splash can barely walk. But before I could analyze this new obstacle to my strategy, I was swept into the battle.

"Geodude, use rock throw!" yelled Itone. I could only hope my type advantage was enough, because I sure wasn't winning this battle based on agility.

"Brace yourself Splash!" I commanded. The little tadpole steadied its feet and shut its eyes. The rock pokemon launched a fastball and sent Splash staggering off to the side. I winced watching him take the hit.

"It's okay, get ready! I want to try something." I was desperately trying to completely revise my strategy in the heat of the battle. Itone had commanded the geodude into a rock smash, and the rock pokemon was closing in fast. Then, I had it!

"Time it right Splash, hold your ground!" The little water pokemon was cowering as the geodude approached, head first. "Now, hypnosis!"

Splash closed his eyes and, when they opened, they glowed. So did the swirly pattern on his stomach. It shone a brilliant blue, and seemed to pop out of his chest. The geodude slowed to a stop, and floated gently to the ground, snoring before making a landing.

I stole a look at Itone, and was pleased to find him slack jawed and gaping. I made my move. "Now Splash, bubble!"

Splash inhaled deeply, and exhaled a powerful stream of bubbles. The bubbles hit geodude, smacking against its skin, and penetrating deep into the crevices of its rocky hide. The bubbles jarred it awake, but it was too late, the water had seeped into its skin and was causing it to become soft and slow and week. I took my chance.

"Use tackle!" I cried!

"Harden!" Itone commanded desperately, but it was too late. Splash leapt from the dirt and, with a different kind of airborne speed, crashed head-first into the geodude's softened back. The rock cracked, and the geodude smashed into a boulder where it lay still.

"Geodude is unable to battle, Allora has won round one!" said the ref, holding up a red flag. The scoreboard above Itone's perch clicked as a point was placed next to my name. I jumped up and down and clapped my hands, mimicking Cali who was doing the same thing just above my head. Jamie was clapping as well, and Erik nodded again.

I grinned at Itone, confidence beaming out of me like sunlight. "Let's see what else you got!" I yelled.

Itone took out a pokeball and recalled the geodude in a flash of red light. He murmured something into the ball, then placed it back in his belt. He removed and enlarged another ball, and grinned. "Are you sure about that?" he asked, and tossed the ball into the air. "I choose you, Onix!"

_Crap_. In a flash of light, a giant rocky snake appeared on the battlefield. Its head easily reached the second story. _Now I see why they made it so tall,_ I thought. The onix roared and swung its head towards Splash. The confidence had seeped out of his little body.

"Onix!" roared the rock pokemon, and it swung its tail around towards Splash, who promptly freaked out.

"Wag! Wag! Poliwag!" he cried as he waddled away as fast as his legs would take him. Itone and the onix both laughed at the flailing tadpole, and I grimaced. Splash was in total panic mode. I quickly recalled him.

"I recall Splash," I called. "Splash, go stand on the sidelines and watch, you did amazing!" I could see the visible relaxation from his little body as he waddled off the field.

I enlarged my second pokeball from my belt. "You can do it," I whispered, and then I called out; "Snuf, I choose you!"

The pink blob that is Snuf appeared on the field in a flash of white light. "Now, transform into Splash!" I commanded. Snuf saw Splash on the sidelines and quickly assumed his form. Now I had an identical poliwag on the field in front of my, and an identical speed problem, but I had a plan.

"Snuf!" I called. She turned and looked at me. "We have to get one hypnosis off? Can you do it?" She nodded and narrowed her eyes, more comfortable in her new body than in her old.

Itone laughed. "This will be just as easy as before. Okay, onix, use wrap!" The onix extended its tail again towards Snuf, who held her ground. Then, instead of waddling, she leapt, bouncing onto the rocky tail that was sliding towards her. She bounced from the tail, to rocks on the field again, back to the onix's body. Snuf had learned better than Splash how to maneuver on land, because she had never been in water. Splash, who grew up in the ocean, never had to move fast on dirt.

Leaping from rock to rock was extremely efficient, and suddenly I wasn't worried about speed anymore. Splash was staring in awe at Snuf who was bouncing in circles around the onix. Cali was cheering and whistling, and I was smiling.

Itone on the other hand, looked astounded. "But... How…" he sputtered as the faux poliwag bounced closer and closer to the onix's head.

"Onix!" roared the rocky snake, perplexed, as it tried to keep track of the little blue bouncy ball who was Snuf. And in just a few seconds, Snuf bounced onto the Onix's nose. "Waaaag," cooed the tadpole, as its eyes shone bright and the spiral on its stomach sparkled.

"On… ix…" mumbled the rock pokemon, and Snuf bounded off just before its head hit the dirt.

I didn't realize it until that moment, but I was clapping and cheering. "That was amazing Snuf!" I cheered, and heard my three friends in the stands agreeing. "Now quick, I want to see some bubbles!"

So Snuf inhaled deeply, and bounced up again. She bounded in circles around the onix, squirting bubbles into the cracks in its skin every time she hit the ground. Like a little squirty toy, she soaked the giant snake, who was beginning to wake up, but too wet to move.

"Now, transform again!" I called, adrenaline and excitement filling my veins as I tasted victory. Snuf turned white and grew to immense proportions as the real onix struggled to get up. I whipped out my Pokedex, assessed the situation, and called out the next move. "Use rock throw!" I yelled.

Snuf, now completely transformed and gigantic, simply picked up one rock from the field with her strong tail and dropped it on the onix's head. The giant snake stopped struggling to rise, and sank into the dirt.

"Onix is unable to battle. Allora is the winner!"

I laughed excitedly and smiled at Snuf and Splash. "We won!" I cheered. I could hear my friends cheering for me from the stands. The perches were lowering, and as soon as they touched the ground, I sprinted onto the field. "We did it guys!"

Snuf shrunk back into a blob and smiled triumphantly. I picked up Splash and squeezed him, getting bubbles on my face, but I didn't care. I congratulated and admired my little pokemon until I was interrupted.

"You are very good," said a booming deep voice. I turned around and gasped. Man, he was bigger up close. Itone was easily seven feet tall, and every bit of 300 pounds. "That was an excellent and twist-filled battle, and I am honored to present you with the boulder badge." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a box. He handed it to me, and I slowly opened it, the cold metal tingling in my hands.

It was my badge case! All starting gyms are required to give one out. And in the first slot was a brown and orange badge shaped just like a rock. _My first badge_, I thought, and I jumped up to give Itone a huge hug. He laughed a big deep laugh and hugged me back.

After a second, and a giant bear hug, he set me down. I grinned sheepishly, "Thank you so much Itone, I'm so happy! Sorry about that."

"Oh no I understand! Trust me, I've had more than my fair share of hugs from beginning trainers." He winked at me. "This is for you too."

He reached out and handed me a small CD case, with the words "Rock Tomb" neatly written on the front. "You didn't give me a chance to use my signature move this battle," he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I like to give away this TM at the end of each battle anyway. Try it out yourself, it can be a surprise."

I was about to reply when I was tackled from behind. "You did it!" squealed Cali, and she squeezed me tighter. Just as she released me I was encased in another giant hug from a soft green sweatshirt.

"Way to go!" Jamie released me and slapped me on the back. He winked. "I knew you could do it! Dude, watching Snuf do that bouncy trick, it was so awesome! There's no way you could have taught her that, it was just too cool."

I laughed and punched him playfully in the arm. The two began to assault my ears with a recap of all the awesome moments of the battle. Itone laughed along and seemed to agree with much of what they said. I was distracted from their barrage of compliments by crunching gravel behind me.

I turned to find Erik standing behind me. His mouth wasn't smiling, but his eyes were. I felt the air around me become significantly warmer as we looked at each other, his look becoming slowly more confused. He took another step closer, and awkwardly wrapped his arms around me. I returned the hug, and after a split second he retracted his grip, shuffling backward.

"Nice battle," he coughed awkwardly, still looking confused. I grinned and poked him in the stomach.

"Watch out Erik, you're showing your emotions," I said playfully. I meant it as a joke, but his eyes hardened and he frowned.

"Well isn't that strange," he murmured. Suddenly, he turned and made his way out of the gym. I moved to follow him, but was stopped by Cali.

"Come on Allora! Let's go celebrate!" she said, coming up behind me. She noticed me staring, and followed my line of sight until we were both watching Erik walk away. "What's his deal?"

I watched him open the gym door, heard it bang shut behind him, and wondered the same thing.

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><p>The NEXT chapter will hopefully be up by March, hopefully before! I love you all!<p> 


	14. A Cabin in the Woods

Today marks the beginning of the second triannual Silverfieldsofroses competition! Simply PM me the name of what you think is your best chapter on fanfiction, one that best showcases your writing style. I will be judging, and posting the winner of this competition all over chapter 18 of Allora Silverfield. This entry requires no extra work on your part, so why not enter! I hope you enjoy this exciting installment!

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><p>The next day, the four of us made our way out of Pewter towards Viridian. Erik had come back that afternoon, meeting us at the restaurant as if nothing had happened. Cali and I exchanged looks, but nothing was said in regards to his strange behavior just hours before. We ate and headed back to the pokemon center without breeching the subject.<p>

My dreams were restless and foggy, and hard to recall.

So now we were headed to Viridian. The expansive forest came into view just minutes after exiting city limits. Viridian Forest was a wide, dark, and taxing wood. The trees were so thick that daylight never seemed to get brighter than twilight. The sun rarely reached the forest floor, and so the ground was covered with only dirt and rocks and mushrooms. In those areas where the sun did speckle the ground, grass could be seen, but other than that the only green that could be found was in the moss growing near tree roots and the leaves in the broad branches above.

Around midday, we reached a creek. The water wove its way through the forest, carving a treeless line above us where we could see the sky and the sun at its apex. Clouds were beginning to come in from the west, big grey ones with the promise of a storm. We washed our faces, allowed our pokemon to drink, and moved on.

Sometime later (I could not tell exactly when, only that it was when we were losing daylight) we discovered a small cabin. The outside was made of both stone and log, and was covered by both ivy and moss. It blended in with the forest extremely well, but Erik's scyther Tiji had led us right to it. We regarded it curiously, but it seemed abandoned. Cali moved to open the door, but I stopped her arm.

"What are you doing?" I whispered. Why was I whispering? "You don't know who's house this is!"

"Well there's no one home," she started. "Look at the windows!" She gestured to the dirty, broken windows dotting the outer wall of the cabin. "If someone does live here, they sure don't know how to keep a house intact. Anyway, we need a place to stay the night."

"Well," I struggled to help her find reasoning of something that I didn't myself completely understand. "You… I mean…"

"You shouldn't just barge in. It's rude." Erik to the rescue. "Try knocking." Tiji made his way to the door, standing behind Erik, his scythes held in a relaxed yet ready position. "We don't know what is in here, or if whatever it is means any harm."

I bent to pick up Noche, who was standing at my feet. Sunny had gotten tired and needed a rest earlier on, so she was safe in her pokeball. Jamie and Verde came up behind Erik as well. Cali looked at me for confirmation, and then at Erik, who nodded. Cali raised her fist and rapped on the wooden door.

It was silent.

We waited, and just long enough. When she raised her hand a second time, I thought I heard a noise. I grabbed her wrist. She looked at me, and I placed one finger over my mouth, and closed my eyes. I rustling noise was coming from inside the cabin, getting louder.

Suddenly, the door opened. I had braced myself for something terrible, a gengar, or worse. But it was just an old man.

He was taller than me, even leaning on his cane. The cane intrigued me. It had the head of a bronze arbok, and the cane itself was ebony colored.

"What do you want?" was his gravely demand. I swallowed and spoke first.

"Just to use your roof, sir," I began. His face looked hard as ever. I heard a light rustle from above, which became steadier by the second. A damp, cold spot appeared on my scalp. It was raining.

"Please, sir," I said with a new urgency. If there was something I didn't like, it was thunderstorms. If we could only rest out of this rain." My clothes were becoming darker colored with rain droplets. I shifted my arm to cover Noche's head.

The man's eyes moved downward towards my protective gesture towards my pokemon, and his gaze softened. He furrowed his brows, and finally sighed. "Come on in. Wipe your feet!"

I turned to motion for my friends to go in. Cali and Jamie walked in. Erik stood, staring at the man as he walked back inside. He didn't move. If looks could kill, the old man who had let us stay in his cabin would have been dead the second Erik saw him. Stiffly, Erik returned Tiji, and simultaneously called out Juez, who situated himself on his trainer's shoulder. We headed inside.

The inside of the cabin looked no better than the outside. The furniture was torn and aged. The table was in good standing, but made of a wood that I was scared to touch for fear of splinters. The rug looked ragged, as if a cat had used it as a scratching post. The kitchen consisted of a fireplace and a pot, with a not so promising looking cabinet to the side.

Erik said nothing, and analyzed every inch of each room we entered.

A glint appeared to my left, in the living room. I turned my head further and entered the room. Something was shining in the corner, in the dark. As I approached it, it moved, startling me, and I called out: "What is that!"

The man half smiled to himself. "Hmph. Persian, stop scaring our guests." A sleek, cream colored cat with a shiny red jewel in the center of its head stalked out of the corner and curled up on the rug. I allowed myself to breathe again.

"Thank you so much," Cali was saying to the man. She started to say more, but he interrupted her by holding up his hand.

"No thanks is necessary. I hate to see pokemon out in the rain." There was a constant rapping on the ceiling as the downpour continued outside, with the ominous boom of thunder returning faithfully every few minutes. "Now, you guys may stay, but only in my living room. And you must leave in the morning." He turned his back to us and walked down the single small hallway in the back of the house. "I will return to my reading. Make yourselves comfortable, but not too much so. Come Persian."

The cat took each of us in, stared at Erik twice as long as necessary, and shook its head barely, from side to side. Erik's shoulders relaxed a tad, but his face was still just as grim.

The cream cat slinked past us, down the hallway, and back into what I figured was the man's room. The door shut, and that was that.

We were exhausted. It only took so long for us to talk about the day's events. But eventually we agreed to just get some rest and talk tomorrow. Erik let us know very plainly that we were leaving bright and early, and we weren't coming back. We ate our rations and laid our sleeping bags out on the hard floor and the torn rug. Noche curled up in my side and we went to sleep.

Well, they went to sleep. I laid on the ground with my eyes wide open, listening to the consistent patter of the rain and the booming of the thunder. I hate thunderstorms even still, and that night I just could not get to sleep. So I laid there, listening to the sounds of the forest, and trying to get some shut eye.

Sometime later, I began to hear a noise that didn't sound like rain. It was voices, and they weren't coming from outside. They were coming from the old man's room, back in the hallway. I eased my way out of my sleeping bag and crept down towards the back room, my ears open.

"Impossible," came the man's voice. "The Rockets have no idea of my location. How can this be true?"

"I heard it in the city sir," came another voice, nasally but intelligent. "They are sending a search party that could be hear any time. We just have to hope that it's not until tomorrow, so those kids in the living room don't wonder about anything. We should try to leave as soon as possible"

There was a moment of silence, then the man spoke again. "Well, anything they throw at us at first we can handle. Golem can take care of… did you hear that?" I cursed under my breath at the squeaky floors I was on, and tip-toed at quickly as possible back to my sleeping bag. I had just thrown myself under the covers when I heard his door open. A beam of light appeared in the hallway that I could see through my half closed eyes. I made my breathing as shallow as possible until the silhouette in the light disappeared into darkness again.

The voices from that direction stopped, but they picked up again soon after, this time different, and from outside.

It felt like only minutes later when I heard them, and saw the light. A light that clearly wasn't lightning. The rain had been letting up and I was almost asleep when I saw it shine through the windows. It was a flashlight. I stood again, quietly, and peeked out the window. Two shapes, one large one thin, were moving towards the cabin. A floating ball was next to the fat shape, and a long, sliding shape was next to the thin shape. I ducked just in time before the light shined in the window I had been looking out of.

"This looks like the place," said a deep baritone.

"Yeah," said a tenor voice, "mark it on your map, and we can get the coordinates back to the boss in the morning. Right now we need to get out of this rain."

"Good idea," said the other. "hey, maybe we can sneak in and grab some food, whaddya think?"

"Nice! Good plan. The door doesn't look in very good shape anyway. The old man won't know what hit him! He'll be dead too early to notice tomorrow anyway." There was a snicker. I swallowed, and inched over to Erik.

"Erik!" I whispered. His eyes opened as if he wasn't even sleeping, and he nodded. I stared, bewildered, until he shook his head and pointed at my sleeping bag. I nodded in silent agreement and made my way to wake Noche up. He opened two pokeballs, releasing his magmar and electabuzz in a flash of white light.

This woke Cali and Jamie up from the floor. "What's going o— mmph! I" jammed my hand over her mouth and shook my head violently back and forth. Jamie got the hint watching me, and we all listened.

The door handle was jiggling, and it twisted open. I cursed the old wooden door for not having a lock, and grabbed Cali's bag to throw at her. Jamie was already on it, with Verde out on the floor, vines at the ready.

There was a thud, then a "Shh you bumbling idiot!" and then a shape barged into the kitchen, followed by a thinner one. The thin one punched the fat one in the arm. "You're gonna get us caught!"

"You already are," boomed Erik. And chaos commenced.

It was hard to tell what exactly happened next. The house had no electricity, so the fight was in the dark save for the light from Flare's tail, and the moonlight in the windows.

"Sam, scratch!"

"Noche, use the table as a springboard. Use return on that koffing!

"Verde vine whip!"

"Pito Pita, light screen! Reflect!"

"Arbok use smokescreen!"

"You too koffing!"

"Ave use gust, clear that smoke!"

When the smoke had cleared, the door was wide open, and the tail of a giant purple snake was slithering out the door, with little Noche latched on by his teeth. I noticed the old man and his persian had sprinted into the kitchen. He had a grim look on his face, and he said something to the cream cat that I couldn't hear through the chaos. The persian nodded and it's red gem glinted in the moonlight as it leapt back into his room.

All of this I saw as I chased the arbok back out of the cabin, yelling for Noche to let go. He hung on tight instead, his little body whipping back and forth as the tail pushed the arbok forward.

Somewhere in my mind, I processed that Noche had learned bite.

The two Rockets must have gotten tired of their stowaway because the thin one yelled: "Arbok, get rid of that pest. Dragon tail!"

I cried out with my eevee in pain as I watched as Noche was flung into a tree. I ran as fast as I could, with the words "That one looks rare, lets grab it!" humming in my ears. I realized I was too far away when I saw the thin one grab Noche by the scruf. I whipped out Icarus's pokeball and threw it in a desperate attempt to reach him. I wasn't fast enough.

But something was happening.

The air around Noche was beginning to hum, and a bright light was shining in the center of his body. It grew until his entire form was blinding and glowing. The Rocket dropped him with a surprised "Ah!" and they too watched in wonder as the eevee became an eevee no more.

His ears elongated to become cone shaped. His tail took on the same shape as his ears, and yellow circles appeared all around his body. His legs grew until he stood twice as tall. "Breon," he cooed calmly. His new voice sounded like the nighttime air.

I took advantage of the universal shock around us and commanded my two new pokemon. "Icarus, fire fang! Noche… erm… try something new!" Icarus dove at the arbok that was still baring down on Noche, sinking his teeth into the side of its frill.

"Arbokar!" it hissed, and shot poison darts at the dinosaur attached to its back. Icarus roared and flapped back up into the air. He dove at the arbok again and knocked it back into a tree with his tail.

Meanwhile, Noche had teleported behind the koffing and slammed into it with his glowing tail. The purple ball groaned as it was punted into a tree, exerting a black smoke from its body in response to a smokescreen command given moments before.

I shouted back towards the house. I could see my friends approaching behind me, their pokemon as well. Tiji was in the lead, and Pito and Pita were following. I turned back towards the Rockets, who were cowering next to their pokemon. _We have them_, I thought. _We can get some information, we can bring them down!_

But something else happened. Something too familiar. My two pokemon had pushed all four of the vandals into a group between some trees, when there was a flash of white light. Then "Abra, teleport! Hu-hurry up!"

Then a crack like thunder. Then nothing.

"Argh!" I screamed in frustration, and pounded a tree with my fist. They were gone. They just _ran_! Cali, Jamie, and Erik were jogging up behind me. They slowed to a walk when they saw that I was okay. I was glad. I didn't want them seeing my tears.

I felt something warm at my feet, and looked down to see a collection of yellow circles led by a pair of glowing ruby eyes. I picked up Noche and held him close, letting his new ebony fur soak up my tears. I heard Erik mumble something from behind me. A pair of footsteps headed back to the cabin, fewer than arrived. I stifled a sob and stared at the ground, that flashed three times in a pale red light as three pokemon were returned behind me.

I heard more footsteps, they came closer to me, and stopped deliberately right behind me. I stared at the tree and focused on making my tears stop. Noche nuzzled my face, his fine fur soft on my cheek.

A hand was on my shoulder, and it pulled me around. I refused to look up into Erik's purple eyes, which I knew would be emotionless and harsh. The hand stayed on my shoulder, and I could feel my tears beginning to well up again as I stared at the ground.

"Umbre?" whistled Noche, worried. I smiled through my tears and kissed his nose.

"I'm so proud of you," I whispered to my new umbreon. "You were amazing."

"And so were you," said Erik softly. I looked up. His eyes were full of worry and compassion. I took a small breath in.

"The only way to stop a teleport would be with an extremely strong psychic pokemon," he said, answering my unasked question. I nodded and gave a sheepish smile. He was always able to tell what I was thinking.

"I- I'm sorry. I'm not usually this emotional." I explained to him about Carl and his cronies at the school, the day all the pokemon were taken.

"And he just said 'teleport' and got away with it! It makes me so angry." I felt the tears coming once again, and struck them away with my fist, looking down so Erik couldn't see.

His hand, that had not moved from my shoulder, moved to under my chin, and forced my head up to look at him. He searched my eyes, and without warning, his lips were on mine.

My eyes were wide open in shock, but I closed them gently as I realized what I can never tell until it's too late: I liked him. And he obviously liked me.

His lips were warm, and the feeling spread throughout my whole body, calming me. I felt my muscles noticeably relax. His hand moved from my chin to my cheek, and his other hand to my arm. Noche averted his eyes.

It only lasted about five seconds, but it felt like forever. He pulled back suddenly and looked away.

"Hey…" I began. He turned his eyes to me, looking completely confused. I furrowed my eyebrows. "Are you okay?"

"Yes… I think so," he said slowly. He looked at me. "Why did that happen?"

At this point I was so confused. "What do you mean? Did… You kissed me," I stumbled. He nodded, as if this was news to him.

"Is that… okay?" he asked. I smiled and punched his arm.

"Better than okay Erik. Jeez, you look like you've never kissed a girl before." He looked at the ground, and I realized my mistake, and changed the subject.

"Let's go back to the house and check out the damage," I said. He nodded again. We walked back to the cabin in silence.

When we got there, the sun was beginning to rise. It was easier to see the damage with the newborn sun rays shining through the window. The kitchen was destroyed. There were scorch marks on the wall, black smudges everywhere, and scratch marks on every surface. I felt awful.

Cali and I headed back to the back room where the old man slept. I knocked, and there was no answer. We exchanged looks before I turned the handle and gently pushed the door in.

He was gone.

After that, I filled my three friends in on the conversation that I overheard the night before. We discussed what it might mean on the way to Viridian as we trudged through the woods.

"That explains why the Rockets were there, but it doesn't explain what they wanted," analyzed Jamie. Cali nodded and yawned. I nodded my head, halfway listening and halfway stealing glances at Erik.

Erik's face revealed nothing save for a smidge of irritability as Jamie brought up the strange man. "All I know," he stated, "is that any man wanted by Rocket for something means trouble for us, and we should try to avoid him."

"But what if it could be some sort of lead?" wondered Cali. "Like, if we're trying to find where their hideout is, or get some kind of hint, shouldn't we be looking for trouble?"

"Not that kind of trouble," said Erik firmly. And that was the end of that. Nothing more was said on the topic as we made our way to Viridian.

Hours later, after our taxing hike through the woods, Juez cawed and circled around to land on Erik's shoulder. Just as he landed, we peaked the top of a large hill and saw the checkpoint in front of us. Cali held out her arms and squealed, sprinting downhill towards the air-conditioning and showers. Sam bounced behind her, his six tails blowing in the wind.

"Cali!" Jamie laughed, and barreled down the hill after her, Verde close behind. He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her warmly at the bottom of the hill. They spun around in a circle, smiling at each other, then, holding hands, made their way into the checkpoint.

I stole a glance at Erik, who was studying them curiously as they practically skipped into the building. "Why are they doing that?" he asked.

"Doing what?" I asked carefully.

"Grasping hands." He looked at me in genuine confusion. I looked at him with an open mouth. But he was asking a genuine question, so I clamped my mouth shut and took his hand in my own, lacing our fingers together.

I looked back up in his eyes, which contained an emotion I couldn't quite place. I smiled, and he smiled back, the motion looking unnatural on his face.

"I guess that's why," he said. And with that we headed down the hill.

I thought I would never understand him.

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><p>Omg. I better be getting some serious thoughts in my review box. What do you think is going on with Erik? You're about to find out, the next two chapters are HUGE plot reveals!<p> 


	15. Pallet Town

Next chapter like I said! Sorry for the wait, but it was just life once again taking control. It was worth it though! Got a full ride scholarship to the University of Louisville, AND still managed to write this nice long chapter for my fans. Enjoy!

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><p>We spent the night at the checkpoint. Cali and I each took long showers, washing the grime out from under our nails and in our hair until we were squeaky clean. I released Sunny from her ball, and allowed her and Noche to examine each other. Her first impression of him was from his tail end, and she was frightened.<p>

"Eevee!" she squeaked, and hit behind my leg. But Noche turned when he heard her, and grinned a coy smile.

"Breon!" he laughed. They made eye contact, and Sunny bounced right over to him. She rubbed his legs, and the two chatted and chased each other around the room. Cali and I had a good laugh. I made sure to transfer the soothe bell to Sunny's neck to speed along her evolution.

* * *

><p>"<em>Do you understand the repercussions of your actions?"<em>

"_I do."_

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><p>My dreams were becoming harder and harder to recall; I could only remember a few sentences, and the number was decreasing each night. It felt as if something was suppressing my ability hear and see them more than usual.<p>

We left early the next morning and hiked the remaining few miles to Viridian, where we stopped and had lunch. I knew there was a gym there, but everyone knows that the Viridian Gym should be challenged last. The toughest trainers reside there, and challenge competitors to battles several times in succession before allowing them to challenge the leader. I was not ready yet for that.

After lunch we took a small bus the remaining distance to Pallet. The two cities are so close, it was only twenty minutes before we could see the small, spaced out buildings coming into view. The bus stop was at the edge of town, and we thanked our driver as he let us out next to a small sign: Pallet Town; Population 200.

We tipped the driver and started down a dirt road that wound through the trees. It was a nice day for travelling, so we walked at a leisurely pace, watching the pokemon around us flit between the trees.

We came upon Pallet after less than an hour of walking. It sat in a small clearing in the woods, and seemed to be in a bowl of trees. There were small dirt roads heading off in different directions surrounding the few buildings in the clearing, each one marked with a mailbox. These were each individual driveways of houses, which could have been the only way Pallet was even a big enough town to be marked on the map; there were only four buildings in the clearing!

The lab was the easiest to spot. It looked like a small house that had grown an extra limb, and the limb was a laboratory. The steel of the lab seemed to be sprouting directly out of the brick of the house. There were two doors, one on the house and on the outside of the lab. We took the latter.

A small buzzer chimed as we entered. A man who appeared to be in his mid-forties sat in a swiveling office chair in front of a computer, his face inches from the screen. A small purple nidoran lay sleeping in his lap.

"Just place the books on that table over there, I'll sort them later," he called without looking up. I cleared my throat as the door shut behind us, and he glanced at us.

"Oh!" he said surprised. "How can I help you?" Gary Oak turned towards us in his chair, the nidoran still sound asleep.

We crossed the lab over to his desk. There were bookshelves and strange machines lining the walls. The ceiling was a giant skylight, and there were no electrical lights in the room. The machines in the room absorbed the sunlight instead of reflecting it, giving the lab a soft gray glow. It was cozy and warm.

"I'm Allora Silverfield," I began, shaking his hand. "And these are my friends Erik, Jamie and…" I went to gesture to Cali, but she wasn't there. Puzzled, I turned to my right and found her kneeling on the ground, petting a giant sleeping arcanine in the corner. I rolled my eyes. "And Cali." I turned back to face him. "We were hoping to ask you some questions about Team Rocket?"

His genuine smile faded, and his eyes darkened. "Yes," he murmured, looking into space. "I have heard the police are making slow progress on this affair." He focused back on me. "What questions do you have? I shall try to answer them. Please, pull a chair up over here." He stood, cradling the nidoran, and led us over to a small table. We each grabbed chairs that lined the wall and sat in a circle. Various pokeballs were scattered all over the table, along with textbooks and notebooks and pencils.

"Oh! Would you kids like to let your pokemon out to stretch?" he asked. "I'm sure they'd love a snack too!" It was easy to see that he was more curious himself than anything. I relaxed a little. His genuine interest put me at ease.

"Why not?" I said. We each reached into our bags and threw the balls into the air.

Seeing all of our pokemon out at the same time like that, it really dawned on me how far we had come. The only one of us that didn't have a significant number of pokemon was Cali, but she was totally fine with that. We hadn't seen any fire pokemon, and she was willing to wait.

Snuf and Purpura each transformed into a nidoran, after seeing the pokemon in Gary's lap. The commotion had woken the poison point pokemon, and the three were soon chasing each other around the room. The atmosphere relaxed as we watched them play. We all had a good laugh.

Oak took a special interest in Noche, petting him between the ears and tears coming to his eyes. I didn't ask questions.

But then, it was down to business. "So what can I help you with?" Gary asked once again. I reached into my bag and took out the box that contained the feathers.

"I hoped that you might know what these were," I said as I opened it. The feathers were as beautiful as the first time I had seen them. Gary reached into his pocket and grabbed his glasses, and carefully took the box from my hands.

After a few seconds of studying, he spoke. "Why, call me crazy if these aren't the feathers of the legendary birds Ho-oh and Lugia."

Cali and I exchanged looks. "The pokemon royalty?" I asked.

"Yes. You see, often through tokens like this, the legendaries choose certain people for their own mysterious purposes. Lord knows why you were chosen Allora. Have you had any strange dreams lately?" He looked at me knowingly.

Before I could speak, however, Cali interrupted. "Yes, I have," she began. I looked at her, stunned, as she continued. "I always have these dreams that these two voices are talking. It usually only sounds like mumbling though. I can usually only make out a few sentences at best. And it's gotten worse recently." She looked down, sheepish.

I put my hand on her shoulder and spoke. "I have too. I used to be able to make out whole conversations though. Now it's only one or two sentences at a time. One of the voices sounds like the wind, and the other sounds like pounding drums." I could almost hear the powerful voices in my head again as I spoke. Oak brought me back to reality.

"Those voices are no doubt the voices of Lugia and Ho-oh," he stated. "Allora, you might have a stronger connection because you carry the feathers with you, but you have both been chosen, for reasons unknown. I'm sure they will be revealed in time. And my gut tells me they have something to do with recent events such as Rocket. Be patient." He handed the feathers back to me and I gingerly closed the box and placed them back in my bag

I took out the second item of interest. Well, both of them. I handed the two numbing pokeballs to Oak as quickly as I could and rubbed my hands together. He looked them over as I spoke.

"These are the pokeballs that Rocket is using," I said. "They seem to make the pokemon into slaves; they remove free will."

"It is strange…" he murmured to himself. He looked at me. "Fate is strange. In fact, the one man who knows more about this than any other stumbled into my lab late last night. He is sleeping now, so I will tell you what I know. We can talk to him later tonight.

Each ball is made by Rocket, we are assuming by some kind of machine. But truely, we don't know. My source has told me that it takes an extreme amount of energy to create a ball like this. Have you heard of the disappearing eevee?" We nodded. "Eevee used to be rare, but not virtually extinct like today. Rocket began capturing and stealing all of the eevee they could and using the energy from their evolutions to power their machine. It makes sense that they would use eevee, for it is so easy to make them evolve. Eventually though, you run out of eevee to evolve. That was around when the legendaries started disappearing." He wiped his eyes and sniffed, then looked at us apologetically. "Pardon me. I used to have an umbreon, but he was stolen. That was three years ago." He reached his fingertips out at Noche, who pushed his head into them. Gary scratched him behind the head, and a sad smile came to his face.

Noche jumped into his lap, and Oak composed himself as he stroked his black silky fur. He continued his speech, his hand resting on Noche's back.

"Because of the coincidental timing of the beginning of the disappearance of the legendaries, my fellow researchers and I have concluded that Rocket must have discovered a way to harness the powerful auras surrounding them and using that energy to power their machine. What we don't know, is how they are able to continue producing this energy at a constant rate without capturing more legendaries. The disappearance rate has slowed, but the numbers indicate that there must be another source of power." He dropped his head. "I tried to get a hold of Ash, I tried. But it seems that none of the original dex holders want any part of this."

Jamie, Cali and I exchanged looks. "We were supposed to try and get them to come out of hiding…" I began.

"Who told you that? The police?" he asked. I nodded. "Odds are they were just trying to get someone to try something new. I don't mean to be blunt, but they are so far removed from what happens in the world now, nothing could make them come back. But, you four… You could do something. My gut is usually right, and I feel that fate is never wrong. There is a reason that it was you four that were sent to do this." He looked us over until we each felt exposed. Suddenly, he stood.

"I have something for each of you. Well… for three of you anyway." He looked out the window, sheepish. "Usually I only have three starter pokemon for beginning trainers. I've only kept three of my best pokemon to give away eventually. Ever since the school system started, kids have quit taking pokemon from labs. Lucky for you, I have these extra!" As he spoke, he fiddled through a drawer until he produced three dusty pokeballs.

Once again, he looked apologetic. "I hope one of you doesn't mind not…"

"It's okay sir," Erik interrupted. "I am more experienced that these three. I have plenty of my own pokemon." And we each nodded in turn. We all knew that was true.

"Well… okay. I'll produce the three, and you can decide for yourselves which you want. I hope they will help you on your quest." He tossed the three balls in the air, and in a flash of white light, three pokemon appeared on the ground.

I immediately knew which pokemon Cali would choose. A startlingly beautiful Arcanine stood before us. She had a flowing beautiful mane and glossy orange fur. Her eyes shone like diamonds. Cali instantly moved towards the regal pokemon and touched her snout. Jamie and I didn't even ask about that one.

"This is Star," said Oak. "Bred from my own arcanine. She knows quite the selection of moves. I hope she treats you well. Oh!" He reached into another drawer. "I also noticed you have a vulpix Cali." He pulled out a glistening red and orange stone. "Here is a fire stone to help you along as well."

"Oh, but Professor," she began. "I already have a fire stone and…"

"Well by golly there's no reason you shouldn't have two is there. Especially due to your obvious affinity for fire types." She grinned, blushing, and accepted the gift. She held up a pokeball and recalled Star. The ball clicked with the satisfying sound of a new friend.

The next pokemon was large and spiky and purple. It was regal as well, and was calmly eyeing Jamie. The nidoking grinned as Jamie approached him, and pounded its fists together.

"I'll take this feisty guy," Jamie said, laughing.

"King! Nido nido," said the nidoking with a smirk.

"That's Spike." We laughed, such a fitting name! "He loves to battle. Bred from my own nidoking of course. His moves will hopefully astound you." Jamie recalled the nidoking and tossed between his hands, smiling broadly.

I was not even concerned with the choices of my friends. I knew the pokemon in front of me was a perfect match for me as soon as I saw her. Slim and snakelike, the gem on her neck glistened as she turned her head to meet my eyes.

"A dragonair," I whispered, and reached out my hand. She lowered her royal head and allowed me to scratch behind her wing-like ears.

"That's Diamond," said Oak as I stroked her in wonder. "She was bred from one of my father's dragonite. Her moves will surely astound you."

I was hardly listening. I was taking in Diamond's beautiful scales and soul-searching eyes. I put my hands on either side of her head.

"We are going to do great things," I breathed. A harp-like hum was my response. I took out a ball and bathed Diamond in red light. The ball clicked and I smiled.

Oak checked his watch. "Well," he said. "I don't want to wake up our visitor yet. He will be more, er, manageable to talk to once he's had some more rest. Why don't you guys take these and go out back. Have a battle or something! It would be wondrous to watch." He was digging through another drawer.

Immediately I glanced at Erik and grinned. He turned his head towards me and smirked. "How about it Al?"

"You're on."

Oak handed us some small strange cubes, about the size of a di. "What are these?" Cali asked.

"One of my newest inventions," he said proudly. "Take them outside, and when you're ready to start the battle, push the button. You'll see what I mean."

We took a back door out of the lab and into a clearing surrounded by fence. In the heat of the day, many of the smaller pokemon had gone to find shade and sleep the afternoon away. The sky was clear and the sun was hot. Our pokemon had been recalled inside of the lab, all except for Snuf and Purpura, who were having fun playing with their new friend.

We marched out towards the middle of the field. Jamie and Cali clearly wanted to battle first, and I was interested in watching. So I found a rock under a shady tree, and patted for Erik to sit beside me. We watched as Cali took her box to the battle ground and pushed the button. Lights exploded from the small cube and formed holographic battle lines. I laughed excitedly as Cali jumped up and down, clapping and giggling.

The two trainers moved to the new artificial trainer boxes. "How does two on two sound, Cali?" Jamie asked, a grin in his voice.

"Fine by me. Get ready to lose!" Cali took a ball out from her pocket and enlarged it, then she threw it to the sky. "Alright, let's see it! Flare I choose you!"

White light flashed and then morphed into the shape of the charmander. "Char! Mander char!" announced Flare. She was ready to go.

"Okay, Vuela, let's show her how to do it!" Jamie tossed a ball into the air and the pidgey took to the skies. The two faced off energetically.

"Okay, Flare, let's see your ember!" Cali commanded, wasting no time. Flare began to shoot small balls of flame into the air, attempting to hit the nimble pidgey.

"Pidgey!" cried the small bird as one of the balls singed the edge of her wing.

"Quick, cut to the left and use gust!" called Jamie. Vuela tilted her wings and dodged another fire ball while flanking Flare. She quickly flapped her wings and whipped up a small whirlwind around Flare.

"Char char!" cried the fire pokemon as the wind battered against her, nearly extinguishing the light on her tail.

"Keep it up!" cried Jamie.

"Smokescreen into the whirlwind!" called Cali. Flare blew a thick black smoke from her maw into the whipping wind. The air around her turned black and surrounded her completely, blocking Vuela's view. The smoke continued to expand outward until it engulfed the flying type.

"Pidg?" twittered Vuela, and she stopped her gust attack. The smoke kept on expanding.

"Look for the tail light!" called Jamie.

"Oh no you don't. Flare, use ember again!"

A fire ball burst out of the smoke and nailed Vuela right in the wing, burning several feathers. This seemed to make enough of a disturbance in the pidgey's flight that she could no longer stay airborne. She glided unevenly to the ground.

"Are you okay Vuela?" Jamie asked.

"Pidgey!" tweeted the bird pokemon.

He grinned. "Well awesome! Alright, let's turn this back on them. Use sand attack, and try to get in there with a tackle!"

Vuela faced Flare in the now clearing smoke and used her wings to kick up the dirt around her into Flare's eyes. The charmander grimaced and covered her eyes with her claws, crying out.

While she was distracted, Vuela lunged and landed a full body tackle right into Flare's chest.

"Again!" called Jamie. Vuela took a step back and did another one. And another. Battering Flare backwards.

"Flare, focus!" cried Cali. "You can do this I know you can!" As she encouraged the orange pokemon, something was beginning to happen.

Flare was beginning to look more white than orange, and it soon became obvious what was happening. "She's evolving," observed Erik.

Vuela let up her attack to watch the magic as Flare grew over a foot taller, turned a deeper red, and grew a small horn on her head. "Charmeleon," she growled at Vuela after it was done.

Cali grinned, taking advantage of the distraction. "Scratch now!"

Flare reached her claws into the air, and as she brought them down they shone a brilliant silver and glowed. "That was metal claw," I said awed.

"Awesome job Flare!" Cali cheered as Flare landed a perfect hit on the now knocked-out Vuela. She clapped and smirked as Jamie recalled his Vuela.

"Thanks girl, you did great," Jamie said to the pokeball. He put the ball away and took out another, "I think the best way to get to know a new pokemon is to battle. So here we go, Spike! Let's see it!" He tossed the ball into the air and released his next pokemon.

"Nidoking!" roared Spike as he landed on the grass. Flare took a step back, intimidated.

"You can do it girl!" Cali cheered.

"Let's see… hmm," Jamie said, talking to himself as he checked his pokedex. Then he nodded and put it away. "Alright, let's try a poison jab!"

Spike was amazingly quick. He wasted no time, his arm began to drip in sludge as he charged towards Flare.

"Dodge it and use smokescreen!" Cali yelled just a little too late. Flare moved to dodge, but Spike was too quick, his arm made direct contact with Flare's back and sent here flying. She hit the ground and was instantly knocked out.

"Wow, Spike knocked Flare out with one hit! These new pokemon are really tough," I mentioned to Erik. He nodded, eyes on the battle field.

Cali recalled Flare. "Great job girl. You did amazing." She enlarged a new ball. "Two can play at this game! Star, I choose you!"

The gorgeous arcanine appeared on the field and shook her mane. "Nine," she crooned.

Cali checked her pokedex quickly and smiled. She put it away and said: "Extremespeed, let's go!"

"Thunderbolt!" Jamie cried. Spike was in the process of creating the thunderbolt between his hands when he was slammed from behind by an amazingly fast Star. He stumbled forward, but was able to finish forming the electricity and shot it at Star. The arcanine barely managed to dodge, the lightning zapping her hindquarters as she sprinted out of the way.

"Follow up with poison jab!" Jamie commanded.

Cali grinned. "Attract," she almost laughed.

Spike wound up his arm and glanced up to see his targed. His arm slowly fell to his side. Star was batting her eyes and flipping her mane around. She ran her tail under his chin and the nidoking giggled and swooned. Jamie face-palmed.

"Snap out of it!" he yelled, but it was no use. Spike was completely immobilized by love.

Cali giggled. "Now you know how I feel around you," she yelled across the field at Jamie. He blushed a deep red. I rolled my eyes.

"Now, Star, I want to see some serious flamethrower in a second," Cali said, in no hurry.

"Wake up, snap out of it! Come on!" Jamie was pleading with a totally clueless Spike. Star took a few steps back, winked at Spike, and exploded an onslaught of flames right at his chest. Spike was thrown backwards into the ground and totally enveloped in flames.

"King!" he roared and ran around a few times. But the severe burn ran its course, and he sank to the ground, unconscious.

"I think that makes Cali the winner," I said, grinning. I went to stand up, but Erik grabbed my hand before I could and smiled at me. I melted, and decided to let them come to us instead.

"That was amazing Star!" Cali said to the arcanine. The big fire pokemon ran over to her and licked her cheek. She laughed and hugged her big fluffy mane.

"You did your best, thank you." Jamie said as he recalled Spike. He went up behind Cali and grabbed her waist, dipping her towards the ground and kissing her passionately. They both came up breathless. I smiled watching them. They were practically meant for each other!

"Alright Erik you ready to go out there and…" I began.

"I have to say. that was an amazing battle," I heard someone say behind me. "But now I regret, I must inform my boss of your plans to interfere with our progress." I turned around to see a familiar face. Carl stood before us, an Alakazam by his side.

"They really do just let anyone walk right in to that lab now don't they?" he was so proud of himself it made me sick.

I stared, mouth gaping, and he laughed. "I hope you really don't think it's too terribly hard to spy on someone. To discover their true purposes. Especially in such a weak town as this. It wasn't even difficult to find out who that guest sleeping in Oak's house was. And now, Al, you should watch your back."

"I told you, only my friends call me Al," I said as I stared dumbly at him. What was happening? He knew everything!

He watched us, enjoying the shocked looks on our faces, and then he shrugged. "Well," he said. "I must really be on my way. Alakazam, teleport!"

"No!' I cried.

"Star, extremespeed!" Cali commanded, but it was too late.

He was gone.

I stared, in shocked silence, for what felt like forever, willing in my mind for him to be brought back somehow. But eventually, I accepted the reality. So did my friends. We walked in silence back towards the lab.

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><p>We told Gary everything that had happened, and he was just as dumbfounded as we were. He said he really hadn't expected anyone to even think to come to Pallet. He asked if we had run into Rockets anywhere else recently, and I told him of our encounter near the cabin in the woods. He nodded and listened, and when I finished he had us follow him into the house part of the building and up the stairs.<p>

"Fate is a strange thing," was all he said as he motioned towards a room on the second floor. I slowly opened the door.

A persian sat on the ground in front of is. It looked at Oak. "It's about time," it said in an intelligent yet nasally voice. I stared, dumbfounded. I looked over towards the bed.

Sitting up in the bed was the old man from the woods.

But that wasn't even the worst part. No, then, Gary said:

"Oh! Giovanni. Nice to see you've woken up! Would you like some coffee?"

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><p>SO GREAT RIGHT? Don't lose it yet, the next chapter has even more meat, just you wait. Hope you liked it! Review and Favorite!<p>

Silverfield


	16. Giovanni's Tale

Lot's of plot in this chapter. I hope you all enjoy. Thanks!

Silverfield

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><p>"I'm sure you four have lots of questions," began Oak.<p>

All of us were seated in a small sitting room in the house part of the lab. Persian laid on the carpet by the fire place, and the rest of us sat in a circle in lounge chairs and couches. The room was cozy and warm, and the setting sun cast an orange illuminating glow across the walls.

Cali fiddled with her fringe on her skirt. Sunny sat on my lap, and I stroked her soft fur, deep in thought. Erik sat stiff and unblinking, staring at Giovanni. Jamie was the most normal out of all of us, drumming his fingers on his knee and humming. Cali and him made eye contact. He winked, and she calmed down slightly, her hands folding in her lap.

"You… you're Giovanni?" The man nodded. "THE Giovanni?" I questioned.

"Shocking I know. I was not expecting you four to have such a profound role in…" He eyed Sunny, "Future events."

I chose to ignore his strange comment; for that moment at least. "Someone please explain what is going on." I looked at Gary. "You said he could help us? Well, I'd like to see how. Soon." Something in my gut just would not allow me to look kindly upon Giovanni. The horror stories we all had been told about Rocket as children; all of them had him at the core. I glared in his direction.

He smiled back at me. "I guess you are owed an explanation."He turned to Oak. "May I?"

Gary swallowed a gulp of his tea and nodded. Giovanni laced his fingers and closed his eyes, sitting silently. We all waited. Finally, we spoke.

"As you know, I was once the head of Team Rocket. The leader. The boss. I had everything I could ever want. Unfathomable amounts of money, faithful servants, and exceedingly powerful pokemon… But then we were ran out, as I'm sure you well know." He smiled into the distance. "I really wasn't all that upset. It was getting boring, really, not being challenged. I saw it as a new opportunity. To get rid of the scum and bring in some new power. To expand to what we never thought we could be!

We went underground. I found some of the greatest minds in the five regions, and started working on a new project. Project Capture. As you know, the creation of master balls was banned quite a while ago. Not allowing a pokemon even the slightest chance of escape, or giving them any kind of fighting chance… well, it was seen as inhumane. PETA sealed that deal. All of the blueprints for the master balls were destroyed. I was determined to create them once again, then I could have whatever pokemon I wanted, without having to worry about them putting up a fight. I could sell them and make a profit, and Rocket would rise from the ashes.

My two best grunts, Jesse and James, who had by this time been promoted to admins, came to me one day with some interesting news. Someone, a lower admin named Silvia, was working with an outside force and making the new master balls different. I asked them to continue, and all they said was that the new balls destroyed free will." He looked down at his hands. "I am not heartless. Free will is what makes pokemon our companions. Though I might have used my pokemon to do terrible things, they were still my friends. But removing free will… it was unthinkable. They told me that sometime today, I was to be overthrown. Mass mutiny. They said Silvia had promised the grunts power beyond imagine. They said, it was like… like something was swaying the lower, weaker minded ones beyond just her words. They left before they fell under its influence. Well I went straight over to the machine and added some code… an override, that I will describe to you in a minute. We went back into a deeper cavern to discuss plans further. Or at least we tried to. "

"Yeah, so that's when I come running down the hallway,"interjected Persian in his nasally voice. It still shocked me that he could talk. He was THAT meowth.

"Yes. So as I am being told this story, Meowth… er, Persian, comes running down the hallway and shouts us a warning. Jesse and James released their pokemon to stall as grunts swarmed into the room, cornering us. They fought them off bravely, and yelled for me to run, and I yelled back that the only way for me to escape would be to break down one of the cave walls. I was cornered in the back, but knew that the section of rock I was near would give me a direct path to the outside. They just gave me a look and nodded." It shocked me to see tears in his eyes as he spoke.

Persian was upset too. "Those guys were my bestest pals. They would have done anything to make the boss happy, even if it meant losing their lives." He looked at the ground.

Giovanni was silent for a while, but continued. "So, I released Golem and Rhyperior and Dugtrio, and together the three broke down the wall and shielded me from rubble. The ceiling of the cave began to give, and rock cascaded from the ceiling. I tried to get Jesse and James to get close to me, to get under the Protect being used by Rhyperior . They tried to run. I saw them… they dodged a rock as the grunts around them were pulverized. They dodged another, and they were so close. I saw the hope in Jesse's eyes…" It seemed that he had lost his voice. Giovanni's mouth gaped open and shut silently a few times, then it shut. He stared at his hands, a single tear falling on them."

"But Jesse wasn't quick enough," Persian continued sadly. "The rock fell and got her leg. James… he stopped and screamed, bent, and tried to help her, but it was only a matter of seconds before they were both buried in the rubble." That was the first time I had ever seen a pokemon cry.

Cali had tears on her cheeks beside me, and I could feel my eyes becoming wet as well. Jamie looked down, and Erik stared out the window. It was silent for a while.

Giovanni spoke next. "I got out. Meowth had followed me to the outside, but my own Persian was still stuck down there. She always stayed outside of her pokeball… I pray every day that she made it out of there. I walked for hours until I found a pay phone, and I called my friend Erik… now the Champion of the Five Regions." The four of us looked on, shocked. "We had fallen apart after I became the head of Rocket. He simply would not be convinced to deal with crime. He went his own way, completing many gym challenges and becoming stronger while I… I became the scum I am today." He looked out the window. "I begged him. I told him about the fail safe. I put in a very specific code in the computer, that allowed for the machine to be shut off and all of the balls to become normal again. The trigger was a perfectly synchronized dark and psychic attack… one that could only be done by two twin pokemon of different types." He looked me in the eye. "I'm sure you know now where you come into play."

I looked at Sunny. So it was all predestined, I thought. She had to become an espeon, not that there was any other choice anyway. I now simply felt more predetermined. More purpose.

"I begged him to supply two eevee. I knew that after the eevee had gone missing, and he had saved a small number of them at his Champion's Mansion in Unova. But he laughed at me… he said 'Why should I believe you? You lie and you steal, this is probably just another way for Rocket to steal more eevee. I don't believe a word you say. Mind control pokeballs… there is no such thing!' Then he hung up… So I hid. I was in hiding for a long time, from both the police and Rocket. A shameful criminal, hated by the law and the lawless. A few years later I heard that the legendaries were beginning to go missing, and immediately I knew what was going on.

So I phoned him again, and this time he listened. He said he had seen the mind control with his own eyes just the other day, and that he was in the process of breeding twin eevee. We discussed what was to be done, and he said that two voices had told him of a girl in Lavendar Town that would be perfect. Perfect to entrust with the task of bringing down Rocket. The voices had told him that only someone of true, unbiased heart would be able to bring them down. I tried to convince him to entrust such an important task to someone more experienced, but he wouldn't listen. Nothing against you personally, my dear.

Of course I agreed to help in any way I could, but word got out to Rocket that I was trying to take them out. So once again, I ran away. I came here, to Gary and his grandfather, and I pled for them to not turn me in. I explained the entire situation, giving them as much information as I had. In return, they have allowed for me to live in that small cabin in the woods, because they could see, or at least I hope they could see, a change in my heart.

But alas, the cabin was overrun yesterday by Rockets as you well know, and now I sit before you, a fallen leader who asks for forgiveness."

The room was silent for a time, Erik was nodding to himself while Jamie and Cali had their heads down. I had a question.

"So, is there any other way to destroy the machine?"

"Oh, the machine itself could be destroyed any usual way," he began. "But, only through the method I described would you be able to shut down all of the enslaving pokeballs as well. Destroying the machine would not dismantle everything that was already created."

"So, only through a perfectly synchronized attack…" I tapped my fingers on my knees as I thought.

"Well," said Giovanni, "you could also use a legendary." That got the attention of all four of us, but Giovanni snorted. "But why even bother. I have dealt with their kind before. They only care for themselves! They would not put themselves in the business of others unless there was some kind of personal gain. Don't waste your time trying to find one. And why would you?" He looked right at me. "You are halfway there with your umbreon. If your second eevee evolves, you can do this. You can take them down!" In his excitement he had stood and raised his fist in triumph. He now sat and recomposed himself. I looked to Erik to see his reaction, but saw he was gone. I heard a door slam behind me.

Giovanni looked past me. "I'm sorry for upsetting your friend," he said. "We should all be getting some sleep. I for one have a long next few days ahead of me. I cannot help you directly, for I will attract too much attention. But I shall try to aid you in any way I can. For now, I will return to hiding, in a new place." He shrugged. "Maybe I'll even try Lavendar town. After all, it's very inconspicuous. And, perhaps I'll see you around?"

The three of us laughed at his mention of it being 'inconspicuous.' I mouthed my inside joke with Cali and she laughed (it's town. TOWN!) We each nodded at his question, and said our goodnights as we stood. Oak gave us a two of the spare rooms upstairs, though I don't know where Erik slept that night.

He was nowhere to be found.

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><p>I know this was short, but don't worry the next one is nice and meaty for you guys. Don't forget to review, and thanks again!<p> 


	17. Strange Dreams, Stranger Reality

Next chapter is up! I'm on a roll. Enjoy the newest addition, and don't forget to review!

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><p><em><strong>When your life becomes strange, does strange then become normal?<strong>_

_**-Schmidt**_

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><p>"<em>The girl knows, so there is no harm in revealing ourselves now. We are far enough into the process that our interference will do not harm, but good," said a voice like windchimes. "We cannot go, but you two must watch over her in her quest until she discovers the hideout where our brethren are held captive. Your brother Moltres is also there, so I expect you will make good work of it."<em>

"_Oh yes your highnesses," said two new voices, younger and more energetic._

"_Now, the Rockets will be hunting them specifically now, thanks to their spy, Carl. Your job is to stall them, but do not make it obvious to the general population that you are helping the four young trainers, for that would also backfire. Do you understand?" The second voice had the commanding power of a tribal leader._

"_Yes, we do. Discreet, got it," said a voice that rumbled like thunder._

"_Go. Reveal yourselves to them in private, so they know they may count on your aid. But only when absolutely necessary. We will give you human forms, but know that once you remove your disguise, you will not be able to return to a human form yourselves, and He will find your exposed aura. Attempt to only use the limited power you will retain while in human form." The hidden warning in this declaration was unmistakable. _

"_Yes, your majesty," said a voice that tinkled like ice in the air._

"_Now, be off."_

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><p>"Thank you so much for everything, Gary," I said gratefully, embracing him with a quick hug. I pulled away, and Cali did the same.<p>

"These pokemon will surely be useful," she said, referring to Star, Diamond, and Spike.

He laughed. "Oh I hope so." He opened the front door for us and we stepped out on the porch. We were all packed, showered, and ready to go. The day was dreary and wet, the sky blanketed in gray clouds, and a humid mist settled over us as we stood in the open air.

"You're sure that there's no lead on the location of the hideout?" I asked once more. He looked down sadly.

"My dear, if I knew that, I would already be there, trying to take down the bastards myself. No, Giovanni said that the hideout was relocated after his removal. There has been no new information on that yet."

Giovanni had left very early in the morning, before any of us had woken up. The only remnant of his visit was a small, handwritten note.

_When darkness and light come together through friendship, only then can the real threat be undone._

_And tell Erik I said I'm sorry._

_GV_

I assumed me meant to let him know that he was sorry for offending him yesterday in his discussion about the legendaries. I made a mental note to tell Erik.

We thanked Oak once again, and he shut the door behind us as we turned to leave. I noticed Erik standing under a tree, talking to Juez. As we approached him, the murkrow cawed and soared into the clouds and out of sight. He turned to us, nodded, and fell into place as we passed him. He walked beside me and grasped my hand.

I was startled a little at first, but I wasn't about to complain. The recent expressions of emotion from him were becoming more normal, and I was not as shocked as before.

We took the bus back to Viridian, and started on the long march back through the forest. The clouds were blotting out the sun already, so under the canopy of trees, it was nothing like midday. The lighting made it seem like it was closer to six o'clock instead of noon. We ate at Joe's Krabby Shack right before we had left the city, so we were fueled and ready to go. The weather was perfect hiking weather.

I told them about my dream as we stopped for the night, the darkness beginning to paint the sky. "And so I think we will be having visitors soon," I concluded.

"Yours are more clear, Al," Cali observed.

"My dreams? How do you mean?"

"Well, in my dreams, I can only feel elements, and see colors," she said.

Suddenly, I was excited. "Did you dream last night?" She nodded. "Well, what were the elements?" I was intrigued, I could only hear voices.

"Well, usually there's only two, or three. The two that are always there… one of them is a bright flame, and the other is an ocean. I'm assuming that's Lugia and Ho-oh." I nodded in agreement, and she continued. "The third that is there sometimes it… it hums. The element is hard to describe, but the color is purple. I think it's psychic, that would be my best guess anyway."

"Well what about the ones last night? There were two… ow Erik! Could you relax your hand please?" He looked down and quickly let go of my hand. It was white where his fingers had been digging into my knuckles and palm.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, Cali?"

"Well, the ones last night were easy, the elements were obviously ice and electricity," she grinned. "Did you say that the voice said their brother was Moltres?" I nodded. "Well… I think I can guess who is supposed to be coming to help us."

"And I'm sure you're right!" said a bass voice. From behind a tree in front of us came two forms. One was a guy, about six foot tall. He had spikey blonde hair with black streaks, and piercing yellow eyes, which contrasted greatly with his deep brown skin. He walked with a swaying gait, swaggering from side to side. Chewing gum, with his thumb hooked in the jean pocket of his sagging pants, hat turned backwards… well, how else could I describe him? Use your imagination.

The girl next to him rolled her eyes and glided over to us, moving so gracefully she seemed to not touch the ground. Her light blue hair flowed behind her and framed her pale face perfectly. Her eyes were so icy blue that I could see them even from a distance. Her nails were long, talon like, each painted a stark yellow which contrasted with her blue motif. She was skinny, gymnast looking, but muscular. And cold, harsh, but kind as well. She walked behind him, but towards our group.

"Hello Erik," said the man first. Erik nodded a greeting. I shot him a confused look, but he avoided my eye contact. I furrowed my brow but my train of though was interrupted. "Zapdos, at your service," he said.

"And Articuno," said the girl, coming up beside him. The two bowed to us. "We have been assigned to protect you in a time of great peril. And since you never know when that could be…"

"Here we are," finished Zapdos. They looked at us, each smiling.

We were silent, stunned for a second. Then Jamie broke the silence. "Wicked!" he said, and reached to touch Zapdos' hair.

"I wouldn't do that if I were…" started Articuno, but it was too late.

Jamie touched his hair, and immediately stiffened up and fell to the ground as if he had been tazed. Articuno rolled her eyes and glared at Zapdos.

"I thought they wanted that under control?" she scolded. He shrugged and grinned.

"You can't stop the lightning!" he said and laughed to himself. Articuno sighed and stuck her hand out to me.

"It's nice to finally get to meet the one who will save my brother," she said earnestly. I looked at her hand, apprehensive. Her eyes followed mine, and she laughed. "Don't worry, I have more self-control than mister lightning over here. Please, don't worry about it."

I reached out my hand and, hovering over hers for a second, finally took it. Her skin was icy cold, but not unbearable. We shook hands, and she smiled.

She did the same to Cali, commenting only that Cali had "hot skin," and then to Jamie, declaring he was "earthly." She gave Erik a warm hug, which shocked me even more. Something was not adding up. I decided I would confront him later.

"Well!" said Zapdos. "Let's get a move on! Er, where are we going again?" Articuno thumped him across the head.

"Well," said Cali, "we are trying to make our way to Cerulean City, but I don't think we're doing any more walking tonight." As she said the word 'tonight' she yawned. "I'm exhausted."

I yawned as well. "Yeah, I was thinking we could just make camp for the night here. You guys agree?" Jamie nodded, and Erik, after some hesitation, nodded as well.

Articuno looked at Erik, confused, then nodded her head. "Right. I forgot humans had to sleep. Well, I guess we'll stand watch then!" She emphasized the word 'humans' when she spoke. Things were getting more confusing by the minute, but life had gotten so crazy in the last few days… I just brushed it off and moved on.

Oak had given us some tents the previous day, so we set them up and built a fire. Darkness was coming on fast, and as intrigued as I was about the legendary birds in front of me, I was just as curious about, well, sleeping.

Jamie, however, had different ideas. "So, do you guys have any cool stories?" he asked. Zapdos grinned and rubbed his hands together eagerly. Now we were never going to get to sleep.

The next few hours were spent sitting around a campfire (lit by Zapdos' lightning hair of course) listening to old pokemon battle stories. I have to admit, they were pretty amazing. It was remarkable to hear them told from the perspective of a legendary, hearing how they stay so calm and collected during battle. How they single handedly can take down entire herds of pokemon without even worrying. Their power was astonishing.

What also amazed me was how normal they were. I mean, if they were in their pokemon forms I probably wouldn't have said the same thing. But, as people, at times, I sometimes even forgot what they really were. They had feeling and emotions, worries and hopes. Brothers and sisters even. It made me feel like, if they were just a stranger on the street, I would never know if they were legendary. This was almost comforting. If they could be anywhere without me knowing it, then they could be protecting us at all times. I smiled, feeling safer all of a sudden.

But it was a double edged sword. Not all legendaries are good. And knowing they could be anywhere at any time was equally as troublesome as it was comforting.

Zapdos was nearly finished with a story about how he had once single handedly stopped a feuding gyrados and dragonite from destroying an entire city, when I yawned bigger than I intended to. I blushed, feeling rude, but he just laughed.

"I think it's time the mortals went to bed, don't you sister?" he said, grinning.

"I think so. If you need us, we will be up in the trees," she answered.

"The trees?" asked Jamie. They grinned at each other. Then, they jumped from the ground, supernaturally high, landing on tree branches above us.

"It's where we feel most comfortable," laughed Zapdos. "Goodnight, friends!"

"Goodnight!" we said. I made a beeline for my tent, stifling another yawn. I really wanted to talk to Erik, but I was just too exhausted. I promised myself that, first thing in the morning, I would ask him a few questions. Some_ pointed _questions.

Cali and I shared a tent, and Jamie took one for himself. Erik did his usual, sleeping up against a tree. Cali and I placed our bags near our feet at the back of the tent, changed into our pajamas, and fell fast asleep.

But not for long. I woke up around midnight and I was freezing cold! It was like a cold front was coming through, and I wouldn't have been surprised. It was pouring outside, and I was instantly ten times more grateful for the tents. I remember hoping Erik had managed to climb inside with Jamie. And I hoped that Zapdos and Articuno weren't miserable up in the trees. I pulled my knees to my chest and shivered in my sleeping bag, but it wasn't enough. It was cold as hell.

I sat up and fumbled in the dark for my bag, knocking Cali's bag over in the process. Some stuff fell out on the ground, but I thought nothing of it. I finally found my pokeballs and I clicked on my Pokell to find Sunny's. Using the limited light of the dim screen, I finally found it and called her out.

"Eevee!" she cried.

"Shh!" I whispered. "Get over here and cuddle with me you little fuzz ball.

She bounced over to my lap, and started to head towards me, but got distracted by the flap of the tent. She started pawing at it and mewling to herself.

"Get over here you ADD pokemon!" I whispered forcefully. She stopped pawing at it and leapt under the covers with me. Instantly I was warmer. The little thing had the warmth of a fire type!

We snuggled and she fell asleep against my chest. I breathed in her clean scent and petted her soft fur, and I fell asleep.

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><p>I felt myself waking up, and I started to see that faint morning glow through my eyelids. The sun must have been coming up, because all of my vision was orange. I groaned and reached up to cover my eyes with my hand, but I felt something. Something thick and soft and warm was sitting on my face. When I opened my eyes my vision was consumed by orange and yellow. I brushed it off of me, whatever it was, and felt it move towards the back of the tent. I reached to find Sunny so she could fight off whatever was in my tent.<p>

Something clicked. I sat up.

There, in the corner of the tent, sat a flareon.

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><p>I don't usually do a QA, but I just have one for you guys.

1) What do you think Allora is going to do without an Espeon to defeat Rocket?

The answer lies in the next chapter :)


	18. A Revelation

Read on and review!

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><p>I didn't wake Cali up. I didn't wake anyone up. I simply laid in my sleeping bag, and cried.<p>

Sunny crept up next to me, her tail drooping, and sat down at my side. She nudged my hands with her head. "Flar?"

"Get away!" I yelled, my anger shocking myself. I shoved her, hard, away from me and into the wall of the tent. She stumbled and landed on her side. "Don't you realize what this means? Look what you've done!" She shrank back into the corner, and a tear rolled from her eye onto the dirt, where it steamed and fizzled out on the ground.

I suddenly felt terrible, realizing my mistake. _How could I treat Sunny like this?_ I thought. _She doesn't know what is happening; what was supposed to happen_. "Oh Sunny I…" I reached towards her and she shied from my hand. I brought my hand back to me side. "Sunny I am so, so sorry. I don't know what came over me…" She had pushed herself back as far as she could into the corner of the tent, standing on each of our bags and next to Cali's single remaining fire stone. I put my head in my hands and cried. What have I done? I thought.

"She's beautiful," I heard beside me. I looked up. Cali was sitting up in her sleeping bag, staring awed at Sunny. I wiped my cheeks off as I watched. Cali held her hand out to Sunny and the fire pokemon slowly slunk over to her side, tail between her legs.

"Cali," I said as I watched her pet my pokemon. "What are we going to do? We can't beat Rocket anymore… We needed them to evolve right. An espeon and umbreon was our ticket! And now…" I stared hopelessly at Sunny. The flame pokemon avoided eye contact.

"And just now… I put all of my anger on her." I could feel my tears coming again. "And now she's scared of me. And I didn't want that to happen!" I looked at her. "Sunny," I whispered. "Look at me baby." She looked at me, her little body shaking. "This is not your fault. There is no fault at all. You have done nothing wrong…" I looked down, my tears wetting my hands. "I have never felt so bad in my life. I am so sorry, I will never treat you like that again, I swear it. Cali is right, you are beautiful no matter what."

She lowered her head, but didn't shrink from my hand as I reached out and petted her head. Her ears were soft as silk, and this soft fur covered her head save for a yellowish tuft of coarser hair that crowned her scalp. This same hair composed a fluffy ring around her neck and also sprouted out to form her luscious tail. She really was beautiful.

"Oh Sunny," I said, choked up. I realized in this moment the powerful bond that I had with my pokemon. I could never be anything but kind to them, it would destroy me. "Sunny forgive me."

She stood and walked to sit in my lap. I stroked her ears and back, and held her close to my chest. She was warm. Just like the night before. I realized then that there really was no other form for Sunny.

I thought back to all the times before where I had noticed fire-like characteristics in her. I remembered when we had all met up in the courtyard by the school, she was the only non-fire type that wouldn't go near the water. I remembered how when we first came to silence bridge, she wouldn't learn to swim with the other pokemon, but instead watched the fire types play with balls of fire. I remembered how last night, she felt just as warm as she did as I held her in my arms as her new type. Her true self. I buried my face in her neck fur and inhaled, suddenly happy.

"There's got to be another way," Cali said as we walked out of the tent. Jamie and Erik and the two bird people were already out, talking and packing up their things. Sunny was in my arms, and everyone was suddenly silent as they realized what had happened.

Jamie spoke first. His eyes widened as he looked from me, to Sunny, to Cali, and back to Sunny. "Oh no…" he whispered, and sat down hard on a stump, his head in his hands.

"We'll find a way, Jamie," I said encouragingly.

"But how? How could you let this happen, Al? Now we're screwed!" He stood and paced. "The only way we could stop them now is if we got a psychic legendary to help us and Giovanni said that legendaries-" He stopped himself, thank goodness, and avoided the criticizing gazes of Articuno and Zapdos.

Then, I had an idea.

"Zapdos, Articuno…" I began. "You guys wouldn't happen to know any psychic legendaries would you?"

Articuno looked at Erik, then at me. "Yes," she said carefully. "But many of them have been taken by Rocket. There are only very few left."

My heart sank. "Is there any possibility that we could get one to help us? I mean, meeting a legendary is rare in itself…"

"Maybe we should forget it Cali," Jamie said. "If there really are only a few left, then what are the chances of us finding one? One that is psychic? And one that would even agree to help? You know what Giovanni said… and it sounds like he has had dealings with them personally."

"But Jamie," I said. "Look in front of you! You're talking to Articuno and Zapdos here, do they seem anything like what Giovanni described?"

Jamie rubbed his hands through his hair. "I guess not… but even still. They said most of the psychic types were taken by Rocket. What are the chances of us meeting one that would be willing to help? And soon?"

"Well, we know one must be free," I said. "Cali said that the third figure in our dreams is a psychic type. So one must be willing to help if it was dealing with Ho-oh and Lugia!"

"But still, if it hasn't come yet, what are the odds of it showing up? And how soon? We don't have unlimited amounts of time to go on a quest to find a legendary that may or may not be willing to help us. Just how long would it take for us to find it?"

"Not very long actually," sighed Erik. I looked at him. He was averting my eyes, his hands trembling slightly. I reached out and took one, but he pulled away suddenly. They were cold and clammy.

"Erik?" I asked, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"He's fine," interrupted Articuno. "Are you going to…" Erik looked at her and nodded. She looked up to the sky, sighed, and looked back at him.

"Do you know what the consequences of your actions will be?" she asked. There were those words again! He nodded vigorously, his body beginning to shake harder.

"Erik," I said. "What is going on? You've been acting really weird the last few days, and strange things keep coming up. How do they know you? Why did you get so mad at Giovanni? What is your deal?" I watched him as I waited for a response. He stared down at the ground.

He was silent for a while. Then he looked from Articuno, to Zapdos, then to me. There was certainty in his eyes. And an emotion I couldn't quite place. Sadness? Acceptance?

"Allora," he declared. "I am Mewtwo."

.

..

…

Everyone was silent for a long time. The wind whistled through the trees, and the rustling of the leaves in the canopy was the only sound that was heard for what felt like hours.

Cali spoke first. "No. No way. You're human!" She scrunched up her face and looked him up and down and up again. She shook her head. "You're human," she repeated.

"No Cali," I gasped, staring at Erik's face. "No he's not."

So much fell into place that I was rooted to the spot. I couldn't get any more words out.

That was why emotions looked funny on him. Why smiling was unnatural. His favorite pokemon type was psychic. He had purple hair, and purple eyes. It was his favorite color. His pokell username was maroontwo. He had so many rare pokemon because of the cloning legend. Not a legend… It was real.

He knew Articuno and Zapdos. He seemed to communicate with my rapidash that I was riding the first time we met. I had never seen him sleep. He didn't know what holding hands was. Or kissing. There was so much more that simply fell into place. I couldn't breathe. How had I not seen it before!

"Why?" was all I could say. He looked at me and took both of my hands.

"I am not the monster from human legends. I was misguided. I traveled the world for a long time after I escaped from Giovanni. I finally decided to make my home in Cerullean Cave." He looked down. "But I was not happy. I never knew what it was like to laugh, or cry. I simply sat alone, emotionless, perfecting my cloning technique of my pokemon. I was cold. Anger was all I knew. The only visitor I had was my sister, Mew, and I even shut her out. But she never gave up on me. She had seen I have emotions. That I had potential. She would come just to sit with me, so I had social interaction. If not for her… I would have gone mad."

He pulled me to him and kissed me, hard. I was shocked, my eyes wide open. His arms wrapped around my waist and held me close. When we separated, he looked at me earnestly.

"Can I make you see?" he asked me. I nodded, still breathless. He placed his hand on my forehead, and I was plunged into blackness.

_I was in a dark room. No, a cave. There were shelves of pokeballs all around me. I was moving around, looking at them and moving them around._

"Mew had not come for weeks, which was unlike her." _I heard Erik's voice in my head._ "Many legendaries had gone missing, and I was worried. I was preparing to search for her, and was preparing to bring some of my most faithful clones with me to help look." _I was picking up balls and placing them in a bag. My hand was a silver color, with three large circles on the ends of my fingers as paws. I was seeing a memory from Erik's eyes!_

_Suddenly, it became very cold. The room became pitch black, even darker than before. I swiveled around._

"_**Well well, if it isn't the head honcho**__," said a voice like ice. It was too dark to see. Suddenly, purple erupted from my paw and into the air, creating a dim, false light. I could see again._

"_Where are you, Darkrai," said a voice from my mouth. Not my own voice. Erik's. "I know your dark filth when I smell it."_

"_**Oh, touchy are we. Well, don't worry. I haven't come to kidnap you like the others**__."_

"_Kidnap me? Like the others?" my mouth said. My head swiveled back and forth, searching_

"I hadn't known what had happened to the others until that moment. Then it all clicked into place," _said Erik in my head._

"_**Yes,**__" echoed a voice around me. "__**You see, cloning them has provided me with a nice source of power. Draining the clones for all they're worth, and zapping the power from the true legendaries until they are barely living, for I need them still alive to clone."**_

"_You lie," my voice hissed._

"_**Oh do I? Well. Where do you think all of your friends have gone? You psychic types amuse me. I've made sure to hunt all of you down first. Now, where do you think your sister is**__?"_

"_I won't believe you!" my voice shouted. The air was starting to hum._

"_**Rocket is quite clever. They came up with a very effective way of draining and storing power. I thought I had the strongest of the psychic energy with your sister, but it turns out that the original was not the best in this case**__." My body lunged towards him in anger._

"_**Oh, touchy touchy. Don't fret. She is still alive. How else could I clone her? But you…**__" The room became suffocatingly dark all of a sudden. "__**It seems that Rocket has already discovered the blueprints for cloning you, seeing as how you were the first pokemon clone… No, I'll be taking your power, the ultimate psychic energy, and seeing as how I won't need you alive…**__"_

_Suddenly, a dark shape appeared right out of the ground. It was black and ghostly, with a red scarf-like thing around its neck. "__**I shall drain you until you die**__."_

"Darkrai," _Erik said in my head, sensing my confusion._

_A cube sat in his ghostly hand, and a purple light began to flood into it from my (Erik's) body. I felt very weak, and fell to my knees._

"_No, I won't let you…" came Erik's voice from my mouth. A ball of light began to form in my hands, but was flickering and dim. A sinister, evil laugh began to resonate around the cavern._

"_**Goodbye, Mewtwo,**__" sneered the voice._

"_NO!" my mouth said, and the ball became bright and strong. I threw it and it hit the ceiling._

"I had a failsafe, of course," _Erik's voice said in my head. _"There were weak points in the ceiling that I knew would cause a rock slide, but would bury everything I had, including myself and Darkrai, in the process."

_I watched as the ceiling collapsed around us. The cube stopped sucking out my life, but I was too weak to stand. A large rock was falling towards my head, and my body rolled to the side._

"_**Arrgh!**__" roared Darkrai, "This isn't over." Then the room became warmer. Darkrai had vanished._

_I rolled again closer to the wall, and used my last bit of strength to position myself under a rock that had already fallen and was leaning against the wall of the cave. There I huddled, and was boxed in._

_Then it was black._ "I passed out at first, and I have no idea how long. When I awoke, I was still in the darkness. I felt stronger, and used my power to move some of the rocks around me. But I weakened shockingly fast, and I was just able to dig myself into a larger space when I had exhausted all of my power again."

_I saw what he described as if it was happening to me. I sat in the more open space, using only a faint and flickering light from the tip of my tail to light the room. Once I saw where I was, I sat and waited for my strength to recover._

"It took me hours to dig myself to my clones. When I finally arrived, I saw that many of the balls were bent and could not be opened with my limited strength. It pained me, but I left them behind. I levitated those I could that weren't damaged with my mind and used my limited physical strength to literally dig myself out into the cavern hall which led to the outside."

_I saw the dented pokeballs, and the careful selection Erik made in choosing which pokemon to remove. As soon as I began to levitate them, my body began to drain. I used my last bit of strength and power and dug myself into the open air of a path. I laid on the ground, the pokeballs scattered around me, and waited for my power to recover. _

_My head moved to the right, and I saw Erik. The human Erik._

"I found the boy on the ground after I had gathered my strength," _Erik told me._ "He was paralyzed from the neck down, and foaming at the mouth. I could feel his physical pain radiating from his body."

_I crawled over to the boy and put my hand to his forehead. He stopped foaming and closed his eyes._

"I gave him peace, and in turn he gave me his aura and the ability to take human form."

_I felt my recently recovered power gathering in my belly. Then, for a split second, things were black. Then, I could see again. I was shorter, and had human arms and legs and hands._

"I took his clothes, and his bag, and his trainer card. I knew enough, or at least I hoped I did, to get by."

_My hands put the cloned pokemon in the bag, and put the human clothes on. Then, I began to walk towards the surface._

"I had not realized the extent of my protective feelings towards my sister until that moment. And I swore to myself in that moment that I would find her and defeat Darkrai. I've been looking ever since."

_The sunlight coming out of the cave was bright, and the light overtook my senses until it was all I could see. _

Then I was back in the woods again.

Erik took his hand off of my forehead. He placed it on both Cali and Jamie for just a split second. When he removed it, they both had awed looks on their faces.

It surprised me how quickly the information was transmitted to them. It felt like hours, but lasted only seconds. He looked at us and spoke:

"Darkrai has a complex. A dark one. Literally. He believes that dark pokemon are superior, and will stop at nothing for control of the Counsel of Legends, our flimsy form of government. He has to find a way to overcome the Big Ones: Kyurem, Giratina, Rayquaza, Lugia, Ho-oh, Mew, and myself, and then move on to Arceus. Unfortunately, psychic types are powerless against dark types, and therefore he started his hunt with us.

He has been using Rocket to clone legendaries, in turn allowing them to use some of the absorbed energy to power the machine used to create the enslaving materballs. Once he gets what he wants… he could care less what happens to Rocket."

He turned to me. "Allora, do you know how the balls numb your hand?" I nodded. "This is how they make Pokemon feel all over. Your link to Lugia, as well as Cali's to Ho-oh, have given you limited insight into this feeling."

"So that's how Rocket has been getting power after all of the eevees were taken," Jamie mused. Erik nodded.

"They stole the eeveelutions too, to attempt forced breeding. But the pokemon refused, realizing what their children would be used for. So they simply drained their life energy and use them as slaves in their hideout… wherever that may be. Or at least they used to. That was several years ago. The eeveelutions could be completely gone by now. Or worse, enslaved."

Erik sat down on a log, hard. He inhaled deeply, and exhaled. He turned towards me. "I am sorry for keeping this from you, Allora." He looked at the ground. "As a human I have experienced many emotions that are very new to me. But with you more than anyone. If you do not care for me the same as before after this I…" his voice broke, but he breathed a shaky breath and continued. "I understand."

I sat next to him and took his hand. He looked at me, with genuine sadness in his eyes. I could feel it radiating from his hand as I held it. _He is allowing me to feel him in ways he wouldn't have dared before, _I realized. He was trusting me with his deepest secret. Who was I to turn him away?

I kissed him gently on the lips, and felt through them his genuine feelings towards me. They nearly overwhelmed me. It took my breath away and looked into his eyes.

"Nothing, ever, will change my feelings for you."

* * *

><p>Don't forget to review for me! If anything was confusing let me know and I can clarify in my next chapter!<p>

Q1: what would you like to see more of in Allora Silverfield? Battles? Romance? Violence? Pokemon? Let me know!


	19. A Battle of Legends

Sorry for the wait! Enjoy! Don't forget to please review!

* * *

><p>We were almost to the edge of the forest, and Erik was almost to the edge of his patience. Cali had been asking him questions nonstop since we started walking.<p>

Our spirits had been raised once again since we discovered Erik was actually an extremely powerful legendary pokemon. Well, before he had lost his abilities that is. His powers were still extremely limited, but he assured us that once we infiltrated Rocket's headquarters and he got his cube of energy back, he would be able to assist Noche and shut down the machine for good.

"How do you know that Darkrai hasn't already used your cube for himself?" Jamie had asked.

"We don't. But, knowing Darkrai, he most likely has them on shelves somewhere, displaying them as trophies of his victory. He will live off of the energy from the clones until he gets in a bind, and then he will absorb the true energy from the real legendaries and become the most powerful pokemon on the planet, powerful enough to challenge Arceus himself. Though, he is in no rush. He thinks he has it all under control," Erik elaborated.

Then Cali had started with her barrage of questions:

"So, what's it like to be a pokemon?"

"Well, it's certainly better than this human form. Though I do enjoy the opposable thumbs, they would have really helped with my research."

"Why did you never feel emotion before?"

"I was never taught it, and it wasn't the foremost objective when I was cloned. I was made to be the most powerful pokemon in the world, not the most sensitive. The more I was around others from the outside world, Mew included, the more I was able to feel things other than anger."

"That's cool! So what all are you able to do in your human form?

"Well, I can heal others, to an extent, and I have limited telepathy. I can communicate with both pokemon and people with my mind. Um… I can influence the minds of weaker individuals, once again, to an extent. All of these things I could do when I had all my power, but at levels tens of times what I can do now."

"Sweet! So what about using-"

"Hey Cali, I have a question for you."

"Yes?"

"Is your curiosity ever satisfied?"

At this, we all laughed. We crested another hill, and the checkpoint came into view. We bought some more provisions, and kept trudging on to Pewter.

We reached Pewter around seven that evening. The air was cool and the sun was just setting. We took our pokemon to the pokemon center and healed up. I reached into my belt and grabbed my six pokeballs, and they took them back to the back room along with Cali's and Jamie's.

The six of us sat at a booth in the pokemon center with some snacks and chatted about our plans.

"Well, since we don't exactly have a lead on Rocket yet, I think we should head to Cerulean and let Al get the next gym," said Erik.

I nudged him in the side. Legendary pokemon or not, we were still friends. Or even more. "Maybe tomorrow, but I think you owe me a battle!" He looked at me quizzically. "Well, we were supposed to face off outside of the lab, but that Rocket showed up." I grinned. "Legendary or not, I still wanna battle your team!"

He smiled, the action looking more and more natural on his face every day. "It's so on."

"Woot woot!" cheered Zapdos, and we all laughed.

"Good luck," Articuno warned, and took a sip of her ice water. The glass gathered ice crystals when her lips touched the edge.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Nurse Joy came up to our table with two pokeballs. "These balls are empty, I think they belong to you and the gentleman in the green," she said gesturing to Jamie.

We looked at each other and said in unison: "Ditto."

Turns out, in our rush to get a move on from the lab, and the excitement with the Rocket and Giovanni, Purp and Snuf had snuck off with the nidoran! Oak called us later and we had a good laugh about it. He said they would be just fine on the ranch with him, or he could send them to us via the PC, but Jamie and I both agreed that they would probably be more happy morphing into all the pokemon at the lab anyway. So we decided to let them stay there.

Erik got up from the table and headed to the PC while we were chatting about our Ditto. "Aw shit Al!" Zapdos hooted. "He's getting his team ready!"

"Oh, I'm not worried," I said. But I kind of was. Who knew what kinds of tricks a legendary pokemon could have up their sleeve during a battle, even if they weren't battling themselves!

Once Erik had finished preparing, we all rushed out to one of the neighboring lawns that locals had turned into a public battlefield.

"So… how about a double battle with five pokemon?" I asked him.

"Should be fine. Whatever stakes you want, Al. I'm still going to win," he said, cocky. I stuck my tongue out at him playfully, and we squared up on either side of the field.

Faint, painted lines marked the boundaries on the grass, like an under-kept football field. The grass was scruffy, with several bald patches covered in dirt. It was empty and bare, with no obstacles to jump off of or hide behind. All of this I took in as I watched Erik take out two pokeballs.

"Lickitung, Rhydon," he called. "Let's show her how it's done." The two pokemon appeared on the battlefield and stomped their feet, ready to go. They each had different markings on their bodies from others I had seen in books or with trainers.

"Alright, Icarus, Splash, let's go!" I called and tossed the balls into the air. The two pokemon came out and nodded to each other. The aerodactyl took to the skies, and my poliwag squared his little feet.

"Let's go Allora!" cheered Cali on my right. The two had found seats under a tree next to the pokemon center. The setting sun cast them in such shadow that they were hard to make out. Well, except for Cali's waving hands. And the slight glow from Zapdos'hair.

"Show her what you're made of Mewt… Erik," Articuno autocorrected from the sidelines. I grinned to myself, and turned my attention to the battlefield.

"Ladies first," said Erik. His silver-purple hair shone in the dwindling sunlight.

I grinned. "Alright, Icarus ice fang! Splash, try a hypnosis!" The two took off towards their opponents.

"Lick that poliwag. Rock blast that aerodactyl out of the sky," said Erik calmly.

Icarus, still not the best flyer, was wobbling his way towards Rhyhorn. His teeth shone a brilliant blue as he bared down on the rock pokemon. But Rhyhorn was too quick. He held his hands out in front of him, and basketball sized rocks formed in his palms. He proceeded to chuck them at Icarus, hitting him twice and knocking him out of the air.

"Dactyl!" cried the ancient pokemon as he plummeted to the ground.

Erik smirked, but that look was wiped off his face when he realized that Lickitung wasn't moving. The big pink pokemon had fallen fast asleep and was snoring loudly.

"Lickitung! Wake up!" he commanded. Lickitung responded by lolling its tongue out onto the ground and drooling.

I made my move. "Icarus, use bite on that Lickitung! Splash, protect him!" I yelled. Icarus stood from the ground and flapped to get airborne again. He dove straight for lickitung, his teeth turning pitch black.

"Rhyhorn, rock blast again,"Erik said calmly. Rhyhorn put his hands together and a large boulder formed from nothing. He chucked it towards Icarus.

But Splash wasn't about to let that happen. He bounced in front of Icarus and took the full force of the rock blast. The stone bounced off of his stomach and headed right back towards Rhyhorn, but not without leaving significant damage. The poliwag was knocked straight into the dirt. Rhyhorn blocked the boulder with his arm, wincing only a little.

"Splash? Are you okay? Splash? Oh…" I said as I watched. The little pokemon was glowing white. Its tail shrank back into its body, and its legs grew longer. The poliwhirl stood up and pounded his fists together.

"Awesome!" I cheered. Cali reciprocated on the sidelines.

Icarus hit Lickitung right in its arm and latched on with his teeth.

"Licki!" yelped the pink pokemon, surprised. It took its tongue and wrapped it around Icarus. The poor thing's eyes became huge, and then rolled into the back of his head. His jaw relaxed, and he fell to the ground when the tongue released him.

"I think he is unable to battle," mocked Erik playfully. I grimaced.

"That's a nasty way to go," I said as I returned him. "Great job buddy. Get a good rest!"

I pulled out the ball for my next contender. "Diamond, go!"

My dragonair appeared on the battlefield. Her blue skin looked a dark shade of purple in the setting sun. She reared her body up until she was at least a meter taller than Rhyhorn.

"Dra," she hummed.

"Rain dance!" I commanded.

Diamond began to give off an eerie blue glow. Her gem on her neck sparkled as she waved her head back and forth, as if she were in a trance like an Arbok is with an Ekans charmer. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, shutting out the already dimming sunlight and bringing the night in early.

The street lights of Pewter kicked on, illuminating the torrent of rain falling from the sky.

The battlefield was cast in shadow; I was barely able to see. So I called out commands: "Poliwhirl, use bubble! Diamond, ice beam on that lickitung!"

"Dodge it and use headbutt!"roared Erik over the pounding rain. My clothes were soaked, and I shivered as I watched Erik's two bipedal pokemon charge towards mine.

Poliwhirl shot a stream of bubbles straight at Rhyhorn, though they were enlarged and much more potent than before. I thought it was just the rain powering up the attack, but my pokedex beeped as well, letting me know that Poliwhirl had learned bubblebeam.

"Awesome!" I cheered, as Rhyhorn slumped to the ground. Erik pulled out a pokeball and bathed the horned pokemon in red light. He pocketed the pokeball and tossed out another. "Smeargle, let's go!" A small pokemon with a paintbrush for a tail appeared on the battlefield. It swung its tail around in circles, green goo flying from the end like paint.

"A smeargle?" I mumbled. I had never even heard of a smeargle before.

"Licki!" cried Lickitung as a glistening beam of ice pelted its side. Diamond was rearing over the pink pokemon, ice flowing from her mouth like water. Lickitung became incased in the ice and stopped moving.

"It's frozen! I cheered. The rain was coming down hard, it was becoming nearly impossible to see Erik's face. Only his silhouette bathed by a streetlight at his back. The battlefield was full of shadows and rain, wish flashed of color when city lights shone in just the right places.

"Smeargle, blast burn those two. Let's warm up this battlefield for Lickitung!" Erik commanded.

_Blast burn?_ I wondered, really confused. _But isn't that only for, like, charizards?_

"Smear!"cried the small pokemon. It took hold of its tail with its paws, and drew a picture in the air. The paintbrush tip of the tail left an orange trail as it drew a flame in the air. Once drawn, the shape filled with red and orange color, and shot a fiery blast of flame. The fire headed straight for Diamond and Splash.

"Diamond, surf! Splash, bubblebeam! Douse the fire!" I commanded. Splash shot bubbled from the sphere of water he formed in front of his spiral chest. Diamond flicked her tail over her head, creating a giant wave as it moved, and the wave crested over the two, headed straight for the flames.

The water type moves and the rain were nearly enough to put out the fire, but not quite. The fire still reached my two pokemon and encased them in flames for a few moments before the rain finally extinguished the fire. They were both burned and breathing hard. The sky stopped leaking and the sun began to peak out, which was bad for me. I had been planning on using Diamond's thunder, but now I was at a loss.

Lickitung was down for the count. The flames had taken a toll on it as well, and it was too much for the big pink pokemon.

"Return,"Erk said. He pocketed the ball and tossed out another. "Hitmonchan, let's go."

A human-like pokemon appeared on the battlefield. It had boxing gloves on, and threw out a few practice punches, lightly bouncing on the balls of its feet. _He sure looks ready to go_, I thought, beginning to be worried.

"Smeargle, Hitmonchan, double ice punch!" roared Erik.

I made a last ditch decision. "Draco Meteor!" I promised myself I would apologize to Splash later.

Erik's two pokemon charged towards my own, but too slow. Diamond's eyes glowed white, and she reared her head back and spat a giant ball of purple and red energy towards the sky. Then, it began to rain fire and rock all over the battlefield.

Suddenly, Erik's pokemon weren't running at my own, they were running for their lives. Splash included. Smeargle was knocked down first, his eyes rolling. Erik returned him and waited for the madness to stop.

Splash was knocked out next. Even in his new form, he still was not very mobile while on his feet. And his new form made it even harder for him to bounce out of harm's way like he would have done before. I returned him and whispered "I'm sorry!"into his ball.

It was just Hitmonchan left, and he was more equipped to deal with this kind of attack. He dodged left and right, and began to realize that he was moving closer and closer to Diamond. The meteors were slowing down, and he made his move. He slid under a meteor that crashed right behind him, and nailed Diamond right in the chest with an icy fist. She slumped to the ground, and the rain of fire ended.

I returned her as well. It was time for the dream team. We were even, two to two."Sunny, Noche, go!" I announced as I tossed their balls into the sky.

My flareon and umbreon appeared on the battlefield, battling alongside each other for the first time in their new forms. They grinned at each other and bumped heads.

Erik grinned. "I too can play the twins game. Go, Hitmonlee!" another bipedal pokemon appeared on the grass, kicking its unusually long legs a few times to warm up. Erik's two fighting pokemon bumped fists.

Fighting types are Noche's weakness. I was going to have to make the most of this tricky situation. "Okay, let's get this started. Double sand attack!"

"Dodge it and use mach punch and rolling kick!" commanded Erik.

The two fighting types started to round on Noche. Sunny bounded up beside him and swished her tail on the ground, using the heat from her body to turn the mud into superheated sand. She flung it up into Hitmonchan's eyes.

"Cha!"he cried, wiping his eyes with his boxing gloves. But Hitmonlee was quicker. He rolled under the sand at an angle and slid into Sunny with his foot. She went flying across the battlefield.

"Flar!"she gasped, but recovered in the air, landing on her feet. Noche was left unscathed.

"Noche, you're at a disadvantage, so try to help Sunny! Use faint attack!"

"Don't let him get behind you!" warned Erik to his two pokemon. They tried to keep their eyes on Noche as he began to meld with the infringing darkness. He bounded left and right, keeping their attention.

I grinned. Such a great distraction! "Sunny, flame charge!" Her body became coated in fire and she moved so fast that she appeared to be a fire ball. She smashed into Hitmonchan's side. He stumbled and fell down.

Hitmonlee had it better. Noche managed to get behind him and smash him with his black tail, but it barely effected the fighting type at all. Hitmonlee turned and rammed Noche twice in the side with a double kick. Noche flew across the battlefield and landed, unconscious.

I returned him sadly. "It's just you now Sunny! You're faster, you can do it! Flame charge!" I encouraged. She coated herself in fire again, moving faster than before thanks to the speed boost from her last mpve. She ran in circles around the two fighting types.

"Mach punch! Double kick! Try to land a hit!" screamed Erik. Sunny was moving so fast, that the fire started to become a tornado. My pokedex beeped and said she had learned flame wheel.

She smashed into Hitmonchan, and this time he was down and out.

Sunny was panting hard, but Hitmonlee was wide eyed and ready to go. He kicked out at the air a few times, waiting for his next command.

I looked at poor Sunny, and knew that she wasn't going to win this one. "Erik, I think you can have this victory."

He nodded respectfully. "Sparing your pokemon in an impossible situation is a very wise thing. That was a very good battle." He said sincerely.

We ended the battle, a hard fought loss under my belt. Sparing Sunny a sure beating was the right thing to do, and all of my pokemon had fought hard. I was not disappointed.

I had learned a lot about Erik in the process. He was a formidable trainer in more ways than one. He knew pokemon to the molecular level. I would have been more surprised if I had won.

Cali, Jamie, Erik, and I checked into the pokemon center for the night. Articuno and Zapdos kept watch in the trees surrounding the red building. My pokemon were all staying in the healing ward for the night, stretched out on comfy beds. Sunny slept with me though, and I was grateful for the warmth.

But sleep would not come to me. I laid awake in the dark, trying not to shift around and accidently wake up Sunny. Eventually, I slid out of bed and sat at the window.

A figure with shimmering silver and purple hair was sitting under a tree outside, his head in his hands. I snuck out of my room, careful not to wake Cali, and went to visit Erik.

I thought I was being quiet, but a few steps from him he looked up at me. "Oh, hello Al," he said carefully. I sat on the ground next to him and waited.

For a while, he just stared out into the distance. I sat in silence and watched him. A tear on his cheek glistened in the moonlight, I took his hand.

He looked at me, astonished. Then grasped my hand tight and shut his eyes. "I don't know what to do anymore Allora," he said slowly. "I have so many… feelings. And I don't know what to do about them. Today, all day, I have thought about what it would be like to lose you and I…" his voice broke, and he recomposed himself. He pointed at his chest. "Every time I imagined you being gone, my body hurt right here. It felt as if my heart was breaking. You know my greatest secret, and I'm terrified that you will no longer feel the same way towards me."

I stared into his violet eyes for a long time, and he stared back, waiting. Then I kissed him, wrapping my arms around his head and running my fingers through his hair.

And he held me.

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><p>Some battle criticism would be awesome!<p>

Silverfield


	20. Remember the Past, Focus on the Future

I'm back! :) Sorry for the horribly long delay. Just started college, updates should be fairly frequent now!

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><p>I awoke in my bed and it took me a moment to figure out how I had gotten there. The last thing I remembered was leaning on Erik under that tree in the moonlight. <em>He must have carried me upstairs<em>, I thought. I sat up, running my fingers through my messy curls, and looked out the window.

Articuno, Erik, and Zapdos were sitting at a picnic table chatting across the street. It was early, the sun was just rising. I checked my pokell and groaned; it was 6 AM. But once I'm awake it is impossible for me to get back to sleep. So I got out of bed and stretched.

"Flar," yawned a tiny voice, and a lumpy shape shifted under the blankets. Sunny peeked out from her warm little den and yawned again. I couldn't help but smile, and sat on the side of the bed to scratch behind her warm little ears.

"Good morning princess," I cooed. She head butted my side and arched her back in a big stretch.

"Why thank you," yawned Cali as she sat up. I laughed and threw a pillow at her.

"Yes you too," I laughed. We eventually managed to get out of bed and get ready for the day.

I returned Sunny and we left the room, still stretching. Cali knocked on Jamie's door. "Five minutes sleepy!" We giggled as we walked down stairs.

Nurse Joy handed us our pokeballs just as Jamie sprinted down the stairs. "Oh good, I thought you guys had left already." He grabbed his pokeballs as well, and we left the pokemon center, headed across the street towards the three human legendaries.

There were two new pokemon beside the picnic table; a manectric, and another pokemon that looked similar to a sneasel. As we approached, they turned and stared at us.

Zapdos paused in the middle of a sentence and looked at the manectric. "What's wrong buddy?" He caught glimpse of us and laughed. "Relax, they're friends. You too Weavile."

Instantly, the two pokemon came to greet us. The weavile walked on two legs and trailed more cautiously behind the excited manectric. The electric type jumped up on its hind legs and pawed at my shirt, licking my hand and barking. The weavile shook its head and simply made eye contact with me, then bowed its head slightly, closing its eyes.

"How did you guys sleep?" asked Articuno as we approached the table.

"Fine," said Cali.

"Yeah great," I confirmed, stealing a glance at Erik. We made eye contact and kept it for just a second, then he looked away.

"Who are our new friends?" asked Jamie, patting the manectric on the head.

"This is Manectric and Weavile. We thought that to appear more like trainers, we should probably have some pokemon. Erik was kind enough to lend us a couple from his stash," said Articuno. Zapdos nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, as trainers, I guess we aren't allowed to fight battles ourselves," Zapdos said, then laughed at his own irony. The three of us humans smiled. Articuno rolled her eyes, and Erik didn't react at all.

"So what's the plan for today?" Zapdos cracked his knuckles. "Where are we going?"

"Well," said Erik, speaking for the first time. "We don't have a lead right now on the location of Rocket. But trouble seems to follow us, so I think for now we should just head to the next gym, and see what we can find along the way."

We all nodded in turn. The plan sounded good; new areas to explore and new clues. The fastest way to get to Cerulean was through Mt. Moon, so we headed east, out of the city.

It was several hours later when we reached the towering peaks of Mt. Moon. The sun was still climbing in the sky, and we stopped for a break before delving into the darkness of the cave.

A small moss covered pond shaded by a large oran berry tree is where we took our rest. Outside it was beautiful; 75 degrees with a light breeze, and just a few fluffy white clouds dotting the blue sky. We sat in a circle in the shade; some of us on rocks and some on the dry grassy earth. I myself sat on a raised root of the large oran tree.

We ate a much welcome lunch of cold wraps and potato chips, made sure to drink lots of water, and then sat basking in the sun, enjoying its warmth. And with good reason; the trek through Mt. Moon usually lasted through a night. We were about to be absent of sunlight for at least 24 hours.

I decided to take a walk while everyone else rested. Erik, Articuno, and Zapdos were in their own little world, discussing battle strategies and tactics for when (or if) they ever fought darkrai. Cali and Jamie were in their own world as well; sitting just out of eyesight behind another tree, doing god knows what.

I let all of my pokemon out of their pokeballs, and they trailed behind me, chattering, as I took in my surroundings. The pond was beautiful; not too small, but not quite big enough to be called a lake. There were large rock formations surrounding it and even protruding from its surface. They looked out of place, as though they had been meteorites crashing down from the sky millions of years ago, and had simply never been disturbed. Some of them even had plants seemingly growing around and through them. One in particular even had a tree growing right out of its side!

I reached the tree-rock and sat down on a natural ledge. My pokemon surrounded me, climbing the rock and playing with each other. Diamond, my dragonair, had taken to the pond with Splash, and the two were racing back and forth. Splash was actually winning! Though he may be slow on land, that poliwhirl is a blur when he gets in the water.

Sunny and Noche climbed on either side of me, sniffing at the rock and talking to each other. Icarus was the last to reach me. He had flown the whole way, practicing his flying skills. He was still only a newborn, and his aerial skills could have used some work. Though his flying was smoother, he was struggling to stay airborn after flying for so long. He crashed into the canopy of the small tree growing out of the rock to rest.

His crash landing awoke an angry posse of sleepers. A band of butterfree burst out of the tree, knocking Icarus back onto the ground.

"Aero!" he cried, slamming into the side of the rock.

"Guys! Help!" I cried to my other four pokemon. Diamond and Spash were already on their way. Noche and Sunny stood in front of me, battle-ready.

"Sand attack combo, go!" I cried. Sunny swished her tail in the mud; the heat from her body turning it into super heated sand coals, which she threw into the air. Noche used his back claws on the rocky ground closer to the tree-rock, and threw tiny stones into the air as well. The barrage of air particulates only served to make the butterfree wilder and angrier.

Diamond and Splash were out of the water. "Diamond, surf! And bubblebeam Splash!" Diamond flipped her tail over her shoulder, sending a wave cresting over her head towards the butterfree, who had retreated towards the skies. Splash sent a whirlwind of bubbles from an orb he had formed between his hands.

The butterfree were quick, and dodged the surf almost completely. There were six in total, and only one wasn't quite fast enough to dodge the bubblebeam. Wings wet, it sank back towards the tree-rock.

The other five used a combination powder move. Arceus only knows which moves each of them used, but soon all of my pokemon were paralyzed, poisoned, and sleeping.

"Oh no!" I thought quickly. The water had slowed the other butterfree, why not these? "Diamond, surf again, but aim above them!"

Diamond created another giant wave, and with a flick of her tail, sent it soaring way high into the sky. But eventually it began to break apart, which was my plan. Just as the sixth butterfree was lifting off from the tree-rock again, the wave crested, and sent a torrential downpour upon the butterfree. The five in the sky retreated, flapping hard to get out of the temporary monsoon. They flew off towards the trees across the lake, out of harms way.

The last butterfree flapped its wings hard, but couldn't seem to get back up. I took the chance. I snagged an empty pokeball from my bag and tossed it out. A flash of red light and three turns later, I had a new pokemon on my team.

I returned everyone except for Diamond and rode her back to our little campsite. I explained the situation in detail to everyone. "So I think we need to go back to Pewter so I can heal them all," I concluded.

"No you don't," began Jamie. "Theres a pokemon center right outside of Mt. Moon for travelers that come out the other way. It's just over this hill. I guess we should head out then!" We all agreed and booked it up the hill, towards the pokemon center.

"Here you are! Your pokemon have been restored to full health," chirped Nurse Joy. I thanked her and took my six pokeballs off of the tray, clipping them into my belt.

"So, what are you naming your newest addition," asked Cali as I walked up to the table where they were all sitting. They turned towards me expectantly.

I opened my mouth, then shut it again. "I hadn't really thought about it yet," I said, finally. "I'll have to see more of its personality."

"It?" she asked. "You don't know if its a boy or a girl yet?"

"Well I'm sorry I was in a rush! Come on, lets go see." We headed outside, towards the cave entrance.

"Go, butterfree!" I said, tossing the ball into the air. The bug pokemon popped out and stretched its wings. Gingerly, it flapped them up and down a few times, and rose into the air.

"Free! Ter free free!" it squealed happily. We all smiled.

"Do you feel better?" I asked. It did a flip in response. I took out my pokedex with a grin.

The stats on the screen said female. She knew sleep powder, stun spore, giga drain, and gust. I nodded to myself and snapped it shut again. She was flying higher in the sky, in circles around our group. Sparkly dust was sprinkling down from her wings around us, like snowflakes made of diamonds.

"What about Glitter?" I asked Cali. She nodded, smiling into the air watching my new pokemon soar, as free as a butterfree could be.

"Even with that flash, it's still so dark in here," Jamie whined. "It gives me the creeps."

"Just stop complaining already, it hasn't even been two hours!" Cali scolded.

"Just follow the person in front of you," I sighed for the fifth time.

"It's just so dark!"

"Shut up!" Cali and I said in unison, and we kept trudging on.

Erik was leading, with Zap on his shoulder once again. The pikachu's tail was lit up like a beacon. Zapdos trailed just behind, the slight glow of his hair barely adding to the illumination.

But even with the lights, the sheer darkness of the cave seemed to consume us. The walls absorbed the light with no reflection. We walked single file, following the shadow of the person in front of us. Articuno kept us all together, staying at the back of the line to make sure no one got separated from the group. She provided a limited light as well; her skin glowing a pale blue.

We walked, and walked, and walked, for what seemed like forever. It was constantly downhill progress. We went further and further down into the depths. It was four hours in that my pokell beeped to say that it was now in "roaming mode," meaning it had lost service. I checked the time; it was almost five. And we kept walking.

Eventually, the floor began to level out. We also started to see more side tunnels. The main pathway to Cerulean was clearly marked, however. The road most traveled, it had many signs directing trainers through. The floor was also fairly worn down, and easy to walk on. But there were no lights throughout the cave, for they would disturb the natural habitat of the pokemon who lived in the cave.

We decided to stop sometime later that night. My pokell said around eight. Zapdos suggested making camp somewhere in one of the side tunnels, so other trainers could get by us at night without disturbing us. We agreed; anything to take a break for the night.

The next trail that led away from the main road, we took. It led slightly up from the main trail and to the right. Around one hundred yards from the entrance to the tunnel it opened up into a small chamber, with four other small tunnels leading off into the cave. The chamber was the perfect size for us, so we set up our tents.

Zapdos marked the door we had come from with a small lightning-shaped symbol in the wall. It glowed yellow in the dark. We sat around in a circle in silence, for a time just enjoying the feeling of sitting down.

The cave was cool, a steady 55 degrees year round. I let Sunny out of her ball again and she sat in my lap. Instantly I was warmer. Cali let Sam out, and the little vulpix kept a small controlled ball of flame floating in the center of our circle. Sunny was fascinated, as was I. Sam could make the ball float up or down, left or right. Soon, the two fire types were playing with the fire together. Sam was trying to teach Sunny to control the fire herself, and she was intent on learning.

It was entertaining watching the two pokemon play. Cali let Flare out as well, and her tail flame helped illuminate the chamber even more, and kept the room warm. Watching the fire types interact helped me understand even more why Cali had her passion for fire types like she did. They were very graceful and beautiful. The shadows on the walls from the shifting flames were ghost-like, putting me almost in a trance. It was easy to lose track of time.

"Your flareon, Sunny, really has a bright mind," commented Articuno, bringing me back to reality.

"Really? I thought so too. She is really curious," I responded, still watching her play. She was almost able to hold the fire up by herself.

"My brother, Moltres, could teach her anything and everything about fire," she said, solemnly. I glanced in her direction. The flames dancing around our circle cast stark shadows on her face, making her look more grim than she probably was.

"What happened to him? You guys haven't told us yet," I asked. She didn't speak for a while, and I was wondering if she was ever going to tell me. But finally, she began.

"In the sea, far to the south, are three islands. My brothers and I live on the islands, which are perfect climates for each of us. We govern over our small sectors of the pokemon types, mine being ice, and theirs electricity and fire, respectively. We are triplets, born of the ocean, and have a connection unlike any other trio.

Darkrai, during the beginning of his hunt, sought out who he thought would be the weakest of the legendaries to capture first. Moltres lived on a volcanic island in the middle of the ocean. A fire pokemon surrounded by water... he concluded that Moltres would be the easiest to capture.

He came with Team Rocket, unknown to them as well. Their leader had simply been told that a legendary pokemon would be waiting for capture upon their arrival to the island. So they came.

Darkrai arrived first, and as soon as Moltres felt his presence, he knew what was happening. Zapdos and I felt his distress, and flew as fast as we could towards the island of fire. We saw what happened through our psychic connection, and felt it as well."

She paused, shuttering, and a single tear fell from her eye. It froze and fell, shattering on the rocky ground. She opened her eyes and continued.

"Darkrai chased Moltres out of the center of the volcano where he hid. He forced him out with darkness, and pushed him towards the coast. Then, using his dark powers, he churned the ocean and sent a wave hurling towards my brother. He dodged the first one, but wasn't as lucky with the second.

The water doused the fire in his wings, and he could no longer fly. His fiery breath was all he had, and he tried to buy us time with his flamethrower. But Darkrai was too fast. He took out a cube and... and..."

She stopped talking once more and closed her eyes, more frozen tears shattering on the ground. Everyone was listening now, even the three fire pokemon, who could understand the legendary's speech. Zapdos had his head hung, the glow in his hair reduced to a mere flicker.

"After that," she continued. "Darkrai sent him into a deep sleep, and eternal nightmare. He was too weak to even move. He laid on the coast in a crumbled heap, and faded away into the darkness. Before he could move no more, he told Zapdos and I to simply, 'run.' And we did. With Rocket and Darkrai surrounding the island, attempting a rescue would have been suicide. So, we found our father, and he hid us from Darkrai in his kingdom in the sky. But we promised that we would rescue our brother when the time came, even if it meant our own lives to do so."

There was more silence, and finally I placed my hand on her shoulder. She looked at me, surprised, but didn't try to move it. Eventually, she stood and moved towards the entrance.

"Zapdos and I will keep watch for the night, humans need their rest." Then she walked through the door, and was gone. Zapdos followed.

Sunny came to me and curled up in my lap, tiny tears in her eyes. I squeezed her tight and kissed her head. Then I picked her up and headed to my tent. I noticed Cali and Jamie had decided to hole up together, which was fine. I didn't mind.

I laid in bed and tried to sleep, but visions of a fallen fire type kept running through my head. An eternal nightmare... that's what the legendaries were being subdued in. It made me shudder. I returned Sunny and wrapped myself up tight in my sleeping bag. Closing my eyes, I tried to focus on the future, not the past.

_Allora?_ came a voice in my head. Deep and comforting. It washed all other thoughts away.

_Yes?_ I thought, directing it towards the other voice. I realized I had a silver aura. The other voice was purple.

_Can I stay with you? I am feeling... in need of comfort as well,_ said the voice. I smiled and nodded, thinking affirmative thoughts towards the purple aura.

I felt Erik slip into my tent in the blackness of the cave. He unzipped the sleeping bag and slid in beside me. I turned towards him and pressed my nose to his chest, breathing in his smell (which is indescribable.)

He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. A calming aura came over me. But I was not fooled. Touching him, I could feel his fear, and it shocked me. I ran my fingers through his hair once more and kissed him lightly. He exhaled a shaky breath and kissed me back.

I could physically feel the fear leave his body and it was replaced with happiness. It was strange feeling these things, because though other people can fake emotions, these emotions were undeniably real. Impossible to fake. And they comforted me in ways that nothing else could.

I slept better that night than ever before.

In the middle of the night, I was shaken awake.

"Allora! Wake up!" whispered Erik urgently. I couldn't see anything. I sat up and peered out from the tent. Everyone was awake and moving. I could only see this because of a strange glow.

From one of the unexplored tunnels in the wall was a silver glow, unlike anything I had ever seen. And with it, a feeling of dread.

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><p>Hello fans. Hopefully I haven't lost too many of you in the last few months. I would just like to say that my life really got hectic these past few months, and I have finally settled into college at the University of Louisville. Updates should be fairly frequent, and I'm hoping to finish this story by the end of this year! Exciting right? Anyways please review to let me know that you still care, the next chapter should be up in the next few days. Enjoy!<p> 


	21. Madness

Once again, on a roll! Enjoy :)

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><p>Silently, we gathered our things. Noises were coming from the strange, glowing tunnel; murmurs of human voices. The words were unclear, but they revealed what awaited us in the depths.<p>

Once everyone was ready, we crept into the tunnel. The silvery glow was bright enough that we could see where our feet should be placed. Man-made stairs began to appear the further down we went. Slowly, we inched towards the light.

The light was curious. My pokell said 3AM, which could mean nothing in the inky darkness of a cave. But why were people off the beaten path of Mt. Moon? And the further down we went, the louder the voices got. And we began to realize that there were lots of them. The further down we went, the more they began to multiply.

Erik led, followed closely behind by myself. We finally reached another cavern, this one tens of times larger than the one we had set up camp in. Rocks were scattered around on the ground, and we hid behind a particularly large formation and watched the beautiful madness in front of us.

Thirty or so Rocket scientists were rushing back and forth between computers and machines. Machines with giant red R's painted on their sides that were silently lazering off sections of the cave wall and analyzing them for Arceus knows what. The walls were glowing silver and white, and this soft glow increased with intensity each time a lazer cut it into sections. The entirety of the cavern was bathed in this eerie light. And the machines were so efficient and quiet, it was almost spooky.

"I knew it," Erik mumbled under his breath. I looked sideways at him, and he explained. "Moon stones. More pokemon evolve using them than any other type of stone. They're really getting power hungry."

I remembered what Erik had said before about the Rocket's using evolution as a power source.

"This is good then," I whispered. "They must not be getting the power that they need from cloning anymore."

"It's not good," interrupted Articuno with a grave whisper. "When they're done with cloning and find a better source, what do you think will happen to those legendaries that they no longer need to clone?"

I swallowed and shuddered. Not something I wanted to think about.

"What should we do?" asked Cali. "We can't let this go on."

"And we won't," said Erik firmly. "If we can capture one of them, we could force them to tell us where the hideout is. This is better than I could have hoped."

"Well, how are we going to do that?" asked Jamie.

"Let's jump out, guns a blazin', and show them what we can do!" whispered Zapdos aggressively.

But Articuno shook her head. "The machines are the priority. If we can shut them down, we can buy our brethren more time before they decide they have no more use for them. We need to shut the operation down."

"Well, let's divide into groups," I said, thinking out loud. "Half of us should create a distraction, while the other half should destroy the silent rock-carving machines. Destroy them to where they cannot be fixed."

"If I can have some time, I can use my power and shock the electrical system beyond repair, which should destroy their collected data as well as the machines," mused Zapdos.

"But to do that, you would have to..." began Articuno.

"Yes I know," he said. He turned towards us. "In order for me to do that, I would have to transform into my natural form. And after that, I could no longer return to human form, and Darkrai will come for me..."

"No!" gasped Cali, covering her mouth with her hand.

Articuno looked down, gravely. "The logic is undeniable, is it not?" she said pointedly towards Erik.

He nodded, just as grim. "I can shield us from detection when he comes, but we should try to incapacitate as many Rocket's as we can before Zapdos is forced to use his power. Or scare them off. But if our cover is blown while Darkrai is here... we will all be doomed."

"So go out, make a show of power, scare them off, and hide while Zapdos..." I couldn't finish. The rest of the group nodded.

"Keep track of your own pokemon, and when you see me transform, return them as fast as possible and hide," Zapdos ordered, resigned. We nodded.

"Meet me at this exact spot as soon as you see the transformation," Erik concluded. We nodded once again.

No one moved yet, we stood in silence, no one wanting to set in motion the beginning of Zapdos' sacrifice. Finally, Articuno threw her arms around Zapdos and gave him a hug.

"I promise I will find you," she said. He nodded, eyes closed, and squeezed her tight.

They broke apart, and Zapdos fished through his pockets. He pulled out one pokeball and handed it to Jamie. "Here is Manectric, make sure he gets out safe as well." Then, without another word, he turned, and began sneaking towards the machines.

"Let's go!" said Erik. We moved out from the rock, and into the open, spreading out.

At first, it was like nothing had happened. The scientists in the cave were so focused on their duties, that they didn't even notice us. I crept along the wall, the dim light making everything appear to be in black and white. _I need to make a distraction_, I thought.

I didn't want to call out all of my pokemon, for fear that one would be left behind once everything went to hell. I decided on three, and held my breath for just a second before releasing them, knowing that the flash of light would give me away.

Noche, Glitter, and Sunny appeared in front of me, and no sooner than that did someone notice me. "What are you doing here?" he asked. And all hell broke loose.

From across the cavern, an onix roared and smashed the ground. The scientist questioning me turned around, giving me enough time to make a quick decision.

"Sleep powder, Glitter! Protect her!" I yelled towards my pokemon. All around me I could see more and more white flashed as the scientists began to release their pokemon.

"Free!" cried Glitter, and covered the distracted scientist in front of me in a green powder. He slumped to the ground.

"Help me!" I cried, and together we moved his body behind our original hiding rock.

My attack had caused hardly any distraction compared to Erik's onix. All of the scientists were facing away from the rock and towards the opposite side of the domed cavern. I wondered for a split second how he had managed to make it across the cavern without being detected, but then remembered he was Erik and thought nothing of it.

I dragged his body and propped him up against the rock in a sitting position, hidden from anyone not coming from our tunnel. I sprinted out into the fray again to create a distraction.

"Noche, watch my back," I ordered while running along the wall.

"Bre!" he cried from my side. The scientists in front of us had cornered Cali and her pokemon. All three of her fire types were out and in the fray. Flare had distracted a group of zubat with her smokescreen and was breathing a consistent stream of flame into the smoke. I took it that Flare had learned flamethrower.

Sam was maneuvering an orb around in front of a second group of pokemon. This mix of zubat and weezing were staring at the orb and falling into a trance, the confuse ray beginning to take effect.

And Star was just astounding. The other groups of pokemon that were trying to get at Cali were having to go through Star first, and without success. Left and right, extremespeed after extremespeed, she dazzled the attackers, protecting Cali like her life depended on it, which is probably did.

But it wouldn't last forever. The scientists were closing in, and more were joining the battle. Stronger pokemon were popping up; I caught a glimpse of a golbat out of the corner of my eye. "Sunny, flame charge! Noche, return! Clear us a path."

Sunny dove ahead, towards a thinner group of pokemon that had surrounded my friend. She blasted through a group of ekans and ratatta, Noche close behind. They blew the opposition to the side to stand with Cali. Glitter kept them from closing in on me with gust as I made my way to her. Together, we stood and defended ourselves, the wall to our backs, holding out until Zapdos made his move.

But nothing was happening. We defended ourselves from attack after attack. I was beginning to see more arbok and fewer ekans, more raticate and less ratatta. I realized our circle of defense was getting smaller. I tried to think of a solution.

"We have to take out the scientists!" I yelled at Cali over the madness. The scientists were taking out ball after ball from their bags and replenishing their numbers as soon as we depleted them.

"What?" she yelled. "We can't do that! It's illegal to attack humans!"

"Do you think they care about that?" I roared. "Sunny, sand attack!"

"Sam, confuse ray! Get that arbok before it comes any closer!" she turned to me. "What are you thinking."

I thought, and decided on the craziest plan. The only plan I had. "Glitter! Get up high!"

"Butterfree!" she affirmed, and flapped for altitude. This left my right side exposed. Two ekans seemed to appear out of nowhere and were speeding towards me, fangs bared.

"Sunny! Noche!" but they were distracted. I took out another pokeball. "Diamond! Go!" My dragonair appeared on the battlefield, her serpentine body looming over the two ekans and stopping them in their tracks. "Surf! Wash them out of here."

"Nai," she hummed, and flicked her tail over her shoulder. A wave appeared and crested over her head, and washed the two ekans away, knocking the scientists behind them to their knees.

"Amazing, Diamond!" I turned my attention back to the sky. "Butterfree, I need you to spread as much stun spore over this madness as you can! Aim for the people! Go!" She took off over the battlefield, showering not only her glittering sparkles behind her, but also a yellowish powder that dispersed in her wake.

I turned back to Cali, who was double teaming a muk. "We have to find Jamie!"

"Okay! He was using Vuela when I saw him last, she should be in the air!"

"Diamond do you see her? It's a pidgey!" I roared as Diamond flicked away a group of ratatta with her tail. "If you see him, lets clear a path! Surf!"

Her head swiveled around and finally locked onto something towards the center of the battlefield. She took no time and swished a wave over her shoulder, bowling over a group of scientists in the process.

"Let's go!" I screamed, and our pokemon responded. We flowed with the water towards another fight. "Surf again!" Diamond, who was in the lead, swung her tail to the side, knocking over more scientists and throwing over another wave. It broke through the line, swamping Verde, the ivysaur only seeming to grow stronger in the clean, fresh water.

We rallied around Jamie, this time in a complete circle, with no wall to shield our backs. Spike and Star stood on opposite sides, crushing anyone who came into their path. Noche and Sunny fought alongside Verde, and Same and Flare teamed up with Vuela, who had evolved somewhere in this madness into a pidgeotto.

Diamond took center stage, throwing water over her shoulder at stragglers who broke the line. I craned my neck, looking for Glitter. It was impossible to see in the darkness of the cave, through the flashes of light of pokemon attacks.

"Diamond, give me a lift!" I commanded. She lowered her head and i grabbed on tight. She lifted me up, giving me a bird's eye view of what was going on.

I could see another fight closer to the machines. An onix loomed over everyone else, swatting pokemon away again and again. There were flashes of purple and blue and yellow, and I couldn't make out which pokemon were caught in the fray. I thought I caught a glimpse of Articuno's long blue hair, but it was too hard to tell.

I saw Glitter, and she was wondrous. Silently, she would sneak up on unsuspecting scientists and douse them in yellow dust. They would slump to the ground, unnoticed. Slowly, she was thinning their numbers.

I began to realize slowly that what we were doing... it was not enough. I looked around and saw our pokemon were tiring, slowing. Even the speedy Star was loosing her strength. But they were fighting hard to hold the line.

"Zapdos better make his move, fast!" I shouted down to Cali and Jamie. They nodded, too busy shouting commands to respond.

I decided to try something. _Erik! _I thought with all my might.

The response was immediate. I felt an overwhelming feral connection. The adrenaline and tenseness was almost unbarable. _Allora! Speaking like this drains me, but don't worry, he is almost ready._

Then the connection was gone.

I looked down just in time to see something that Cali has still never let me forget. A raticate, unnoticed by all, had slipped behind her and was coming up, claws ready, for the kill. The look in its eyes, feral and consuming.

I did all I could do, I lept from Diamond as she creamed another pokemon with surf, and fell, tacking the raticate to the ground. "Noche!" I roared. I felt something in my leg snap.

I grappled with the pokemon, trying to hold it on the ground. "Cate!" it snarled, and wriggled from my grasp, whipping me with its tail and simultaneously scratching my arm.

"Ah!" I cried, holding my arm and rolling to the side. I could feel my blood oozing between my fingers. I tried to stand, but my left leg refused to hold my weight, and I couldn't remember why.

My arm didn't hurt, and it surprised me. I felt ten times stronger than usual. I stood on my right leg and readied myself for a dodge. The raticate squared up to me, narrowing its eyes.

"Allora!" cried Cali. I stole a glance at her. She was staring at my arm, shocked. I refused to look down. The raticate coiled in preparation for another attack.

A black shadow streaked over my head and slammed into the raticate, sending it flying across the cavern. Noche stood in its place. Only later would I learn the name of that move: payback.

I slumped to the ground, suddenly weak. I didn't want to look at my arm. The world around me seemed to blur together, and I rocked back and forth. Cali was in my face, yelling something. And Noche was beside me, standing guard.

There was a giant flash of yellow light from my left. I turned to watch. It was magnificent. The light overtook everything and cast harsh shadows on the ground. Every human and pokemon stopped to look. All fighting ceased.

A giant yellow and black bird rose over the crowd. "Dos!" it cried, and I heard it even in my dazed state. At its cry, the scientists and pokemon began to scatter. Well, most of them. Eight or so were paralyzed, lying on the ground. Glitter's work.

Zapdos was beautiful. He loomed over the machines, and using the strongest lightning type move I've ever seen, fried them and their circuits. The light was blinding and consuming, and I was entranced.

Jamie was in my face then, and Articuno, yelling at me. She moved her head and I saw Erik, staring at me, shocked. Red lights were flashing all around me, pokemon returning to their pokeballs.

I was lifted then, by Jamie and Erik, and pokeballs were taken out of my belt. Red lights flashed once again, and I felt my pokeballs click back into my belt as I was set down behind our rock. I leaned against the scientist beside me, wishing I could sleep as peacefully as him.

The flickering yellow light cast rapidly altering shadows all along the walls. My friends grouped around me, and Erik closed his eyes. Just then, everything went black. I was still awake, but there was no longer any inkling of light. I felt an ancient evil presence deep within my soul.

Then I blacked out.

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><p>That was one of the most intense chapters I have ever written. Please please please review and let me know you care :) I really missed writing for you guys. Has my writing changed? Improved? Worsened? What needs clarification? Your thoughts on the plot are much appreciated :) Thanks!<p>

Silverfield


	22. Some Aftermath

Nice long chapter for you guys. Please enjoy! If you have questions, please review and I will answer them for you!

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><p>Lights flashed in the darkness, over and over again, ceaselessly. I opened my eyes for a split second, and saw florescent lights passing over me. I was bumping along, being pushed, laying on something. I heard voices coming from all around me, but I was tired. I sank back into the darkness.<p>

Suddenly, one bright light pointed in my face. I opened my eyes again, and squinted. A lamp was aimed over my body, and people in lab coats surrounded me. They had clipboards, and were writing. Surrounding me. My leg throbbed. I was screaming, but I didn't know why. Something stabbed me in my thigh. I fell back asleep.

A needle pierced my arm. I jolted awake. Someone sat next to me, their hand on the bed. Bed. I was lying down under a white sheet. Wires pulled on me as I shifted. Someone said something, and a warm sensation entered my arm. The blackness welcomed me once again.

I don't know how long it was before I really awoke from my sleep. A soft, orange light bathed the room in a dim glow. I glanced over. Erik sat next to me, his head in his hands. I turned my head to the other side. On a small couch sat Sunny and Noche, sleeping curled up together.

I shifted again, and groaned. A dull pain resonated in my left leg. I exhaled loudly, and Erik jumped, lifting his head immediately.

"Allora?" he asked, urgently. He looked me in the eyes, and searched my face. "Can you hear me?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but words didn't come out. I licked my lips and swallowed, moistening my parched throat, and tried again. "Yeah, I can hear you. What... where are we?"

"The Cerulean hospital," he explained. "We brought you right away. How do you feel?"

I tested that. My left leg was elevated, and in a hard cast. My arm was bandaged, and wrapped with so much cloth that I couldn't bend my elbow. Which was fine. Both areas of my body throbbed. I also had an IV going, and some wires sticking on my body, monitoring my vital signs. I tried to lift my leg off the stand, but the cast was too heavy for me in my weakened state, not to mention it hurt like hell.

But otherwise, I felt fine, until I remembered what happened. "Where is everyone?" I blurted. I searched the room frantically. Where are Jamie and Cali and..."

"Shh!" Erik covered my mouth with his hand, muffling the word "Articuno." The heart monitor was beeping rapidly. I took deep breaths trying to calm down. "They're all fine, but now is not the place to talk." Can I show you? he asked in my head. I nodded.

He glanced around, then touched his fingertips to my temple.

_Suddenly, it was dark again. I sat on the ground, concentrating my mind (Erik's mind) to create a mental shield around our group. I noticed that I was staring very intently at myself, passed out on the shoulder of a scientist._

_Then, all of the light disappeared, and I couldn't see anything, only feel a horribly evil presence within the cave._

_**"Zapdos,"**__ a snakelike voice said. __**"Oh how long it's been. It is just like you to expose yourself so recklessly, just to find your brother. How could you even think these pathetic humans would give you a lead?"**_

_"Dos zapdos. Zapdos!" crowed Zapdos from behind the rock. Erik understood the words, and therefore in the memory so did I. "You scum. Where is my brother!"_

_**"Oh in due time in due time. In fact, I think you will be joining him quite... soon?"**__ Darkrai froze in his speech, and quickly I (Erik) redoubled my efforts to shield the presence of my friends and myself._

_**"Oh, Zappy, did you happen to bring anyone else with you on this little suicide mission?"**__ I could physically feel his mind searching the cavern._

_"Zapdos! Za zapdos dosza? Zapdos!" "Oh please! Do you think I would put anyone else in this kind of danger? And who says this was suicide!" On his last "zapdos," the cavern lit up once again with yellow light, and thunder crackled all around us._

_**"Argh! You pest you will pay for that. Argh! Yes that's it, sleep. And give me your power."**__ There was suddenly no more light or thunder, and it was black again. Articuno was shuddering and sobbing silently on my right, trying desperately to keep quiet._

_It was silent again, until there was a minor flash of red light. __**"You, kadabra, do you know teleport?"**__ Silence, then. __**"Good. Take us back."**__ And then another flash, and nothing._

_The temperature in the room increased tenfold afterwards. I probed the room with my mind, and, when I came up with nothing, we stood and fanned out._

_I called out Zap and had him use flash, and it looked as if our mission was a success. The machines were destroyed, and the Rocket's were still lying on the ground; those who had not managed to teleport before getting stun spored to the face anyway. _

_There was quiet, mournful discussion between the four, as they worked quickly to move my body._

_"We need to get out of this cave as quickly as possible, she is losing much blood," Erik's voice came from my mouth._

_"How though? There is no way we could get to the surface in time, we are in the deepest part of the cave!" Cali's voice sounded terse and hopeless. _

_"We have to teleport," said Articuno. "Erik, do you..."_

_"No, I don't have anything," his voice said frustratingly. I looked at the ground frustrated._

_"What about doing what darkrai did? Borrowing a Rocket's psychic pokemon?"Jamie asked._

_I looked up, energy filling my body. "That could work. I can use what power I have left to find one quickly. I'll be right back, you guys be ready to go as soon as I come back."_

_I turned quickly and left the group then, heading out into the middle of the cave. There was still limited light coming from a few small fires that had started on the Rocket machines. I probed the few pokeballs in the pockets of the scientists, until I found a psychic aura coming from one._

_I reached to get the pokeball, but pulled back as I realized that it was one of the enslaving ones. I reached out slowly to try and touch it, but my fingers went completely numb as they came in contact with it. I flinched back._

_I mustered up what remained of my psychic energy and levitated the ball, throwing it to the ground, and calling out the natu._

_The poor thing had soulless eyes, and did not move when called out. "Natu," I spoke. No response. "Um, Natu, I want you to get us out of here with teleport, follow me." I walked back to the group, the little bird following silently. I felt sick to my stomach._

_We finally managed to get out of the cave, and teleported right to the Cerulean hospital. Immediately, my body was taken on a stretcher, and wheeled down the hall towards the immediate care unit._

Then, I was back in bed. Erik leaned back, sitting in his chair. "You've been out for almost two days."

Two days! Well, I wasn't really shocked. Mostly glad that it wasn't longer. "Where are..."

"Cali and Jamie are at the Cerulean police station. After we got to the city, Jamie went and told them what happened. There are nine Rockets from the crime scene currently in interrogation."

I sighed, thankful that something had gone right. "And..."

"She is fine," he interrupted knowingly. "She was well prepared to take losses. If anything, her resolve has only doubled."

I sat, thinking quietly. Everything had gone according to plan, despite Darkrai's assumptions. We had slowed their experimenting process down, prolonging the time they would need to keep the legendaries alive to clone them for power.

I was thankful for Herb, the scientist in Pewter, for calling the police and stationing them on either side of Diglett's Cave. It had clicked in my head that the levinium from the cave was going to be used to force evolutions and gather energy from that as well. Unknowingly, we had given them all extra time by stopping that operation as well.

We seemed to get lucky a lot.

Erik and I chatted for a while after that. He told me that the enslaved pokemon from the scientists had been taken into custody, and were being studied to discover a way to give them their souls back. "But we know how that needs to end," Erik said.

He said the pokeball of the natu he had taken had never been recovered, and so the natu was sent to a special scientist north of Cerulean, named Bill.

"Bill?" I asked. "THE Bill?" Bill created the pokemon storage system, once upon a time. He was a little off the handle... but very well respected in his field.

"Bill is looking into some different research on how to release the pokemon from the control of the poke balls," Erik said. "I think it would be good to go see him when you are rested."

So, that's how, the next day, we ended up on a trek across nugget bridge.

Of course, there was the nugget bridge challenge to contend with.

"Haha! I challenge you..."

"Please, can we not?" I said exasperated to the fourth trainer. I was hobbling down the bridge on crutches, annoyed and exhausted. "I don't want a nugget! Just let me cross the bridge! I creamed your friends back there anyway."

"But I am the strongest of all of us!" he insisted. I gave him a glare that would make a baby pokemon cry, and he let me pass.

We finally reached Bill's seaside cottage to the north. It was cute and homey, and begging for me to come inside and take a rest. I couldn't hobble in there fast enough.

"Bill?" I called, as the five of us entered. There was no response. The inside of the cottage was warm and cozy. It looked just like a normal house, except cluttered with paperwork and random pieces of scrap metal, and odd machines randomly dispersed throughout.

On the kitchen table, sat a natu, with black pits for eyes. It stared, immobile, making me very uncomfortable.

"Bill?" I yelled again. There was a thump from upstairs, and small footsteps, and then a clefairy came tumbling down the stairs.

"Oomf!" it cried, as it hit the bottom. It stood, and rubbed its behind. "I really need to work on stairs," it said.

"A talking clefairy?" I gasped. Receiving incredulous looks from Articuno and Erik, I backtracked. Not the weirdest thing I had seen.

"No, no," the clefairy said, and stood up. "I am Bill, not a clefairy."

I looked him up and down. "Um, you look like a clefairy."

"Yeah, and you're cute like one too!" Cali squealed.

"No I am studying clefairy movement and anatomy... give me just a second." He climbed into one of the machines at the back of his house, a tall metal cylinder with glowing green buttons, and closed the door. Some banging, and fizzing, and flashing, and a man in a lab coat walked out of the machine.

Bill was tall and skinny, with a full head of green hair. His mustache was well groomed, and his style very fitting to the mad-scientist role.

"There!" he exclaimed, and came out to shake our hands. "You see! Now, how can I help you?"

"Actually sir," Erik began. "We are the ones from the accident in Mt. Moon. I used that natu to get us out of the cave."

"Ah, I see, and what exactly happened?"

Erik told an edited version of the story, leaving out Zapdos and Darkrai, and attributing all of the faults to Team Rocket. "And Allora here was losing a lot of blood, so we grabbed one of their psychic pokemon and teleported right to the hospital!" I nodded, flourishing my crutches for emphasis.

"Well! Sounds like quite the adventure!" Bill exclaimed.

"We were hoping you could tell us what you have found out about the natu," I elaborated.

"Well," he said, scratching his head. "all I can say is that the connection between the pokemon and the poke ball is extremely powerful. I tried recapture on the natu, and even after being assigned to a new poke ball, it is still just as mindless." He shrugged. "The only way I would think to help the thing would be to destroy the old pokeball, but I am afraid that doing so would make the mindlessness permanent. No... there has to be a way to reverse it, not just stop it."

The five of us exchanged knowing looks. "So, destroying the poke balls... wouldn't help?" asked Jamie.

"I am afraid not," sighed the scientist. "Psychologically... it would only make the process irreversible. I am convinced that there is a central system controlling this mechanism, and that it can be reversed at the source. And... if you say these poke balls are from Rocket... that source must be at their base."

We thanked Bill for his time, and he promised us he would continue his research and give us a call on our pokell if he discovered any different.

Back in Cerulean, we headed over to the police station. The place was full of activity, with nine Rocket's in custody. We were surprised when we got there.

"Mom!" Jamie ran up behind Officer Jenny and hugged her tight. They beamed at each other. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, as the head Jenny, and since this is the biggest lock up in Kanto right now, I was called in," she explained. "And, you three will be surprised when you see THIS."

She took us to one of the cells, and let us look through the one-way glass. "Jesse!" I gasped. Sitting at the table, cuffed to it, was Jesse Riendou, from Lavender Town.

"What is she doing here?" I asked Officer Jenny.

She shrugged. "Not much of a talker, that one. We haven't been able to get anything out of her since she got here. You guys have provided us with the name just now, and that's about all we know."

I stared back through the glass. She didn't look upset or angry. Just tired... and emotionless.

"Maybe seeing a familiar face will startle her enough for her to unknowingly give us some answers," Officer Jenny concluded. Clearly she wanted us to go in there. Cali and I volunteered, and made our way to the door.

"Just try to get her talking," she said to us, and ushered us in.

Jesse looked up, and a startled look flashed across her face, but she quickly covered it up with a smug grin. "Well, if it isn't the piteous Allora and her sidekick. Somehow I knew you were going to get yourself involved. Always defending the weak" She spat in our direction.

"Where is the Rocket base," I asked, getting to the point.

"Do you think I would tell you? Please. Give me a break." She swung her hair over her shoulder and smirked. "Carl says hi, you better watch your back."

I ignored the ominous threat, and asked again. "Jesse where is the base. Don't play games, you're going to jail."

She laughed, infuriatingly. "Do you think I care about that? In just two months, there will be no more Rockets in jails. We will have taken over everything, and I will be free. And called a hero. I took a stun spore and was locked up and never talked." She laughed evilly again.

"Jesse where is it!" roared Cali. She could be scary if she wanted to, more scary than me on my crutches anyway. "Do you really think the Rocket admins are going give any privileges to a lowly high school graduate grunt like you? If anything, they'll keep you locked in that jail cell for allowing their plans to go downhill."

That got a reaction. Jesse's face darkened. "Well, if you think a 'lowly grunt' like me even knows where the base is, then you're delusional. We get teleported in and teleported out. Only the highest of the high know where it is. You will fail." That last comment was aimed at everyone listening, not just Cali and me.

She cocked her head at me. "You know, Carl has it out for you. He knows how to hit where it hurts, and he's a higher rank than me. Ha!" she barked a laugh. "You better watch out," she hissed. And then she started laughing again.

Furious, I turned and marched out of the room... on my crutches, as best I could. I could still hear her laughing when the door slammed.

Back in the station's main lobby, Officer Jenny congratulated us. "Now we know who we need to get at to find this base," she said, excited. "And we know that Rocket isn't making their move for two more months. We have a time frame, and a place to start. Thank you two so much!"

I tried to be happy, I really did. But Jesse's voice still stuck in my head. _You better watch out, you better watch your back._

_You will fail._

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><p>Review, favorite, and tell your friends!<p> 


	23. Life Lessons

After leaving the station, we headed back to the pokemon center, having accomplished a lot that day. It was slightly larger than other ones, Cerulean being an even bigger city than Pewter, and we received a pleasant surprise when we checked in.

Cali and Jamie had been staying in the center already whilst I was in the hospital, but the attendant at the desk for hotel services recognized my and Erik's names as "the ones from the Mt. Moon incident." Apparently the mayor of Cerulean wanted to thank us.

"A suite?" squealed Cali. She jumped up and down excitedly, grabbing my arm. "We get to stay in a suite Al oh my gosh!"

"Yes Cali yes... ow can you... my leg," I stuttered as she shook my whole body up and down, using my shoulder to balance herself while she bounced up and down in excitement.

"Oh, sorry, but still! What are we waiting for let's go!" And with that, she snatched the room key from the attendant and sprinted to the elevator.

The suite itself was really nice. It had a common area with a television, its own little kitchen, and three master bedrooms. The common area also had a ping pong table and a jukebox, which Cali immediately headed to.

"Let's see what they have..." she said, and spent the remainder of the time DJ-ing our little gathering.

Jamie sat on the couch, flipping channels, until he found the news, the announcer confirming that more details had been revealed about "Rocket's sinister plot," and that they would be covering them "tonight at eight." He left it on that channel and propped his feet up, vegging out.

I ended up showing Erik how to play ping pong. He was fascinated.

"This game is so... exciting!" he said energetically. "You use your hand eye coordination and skill to best your opponent... it is just like a pokemon battle, but between two humans!"

I giggled to myself a little at his enthusiasm, leaning on my crutches, paddle in hand. I promised myself that once this was all over, I would take him to play tennis.

_If we are still together after all of this is over_, I thought, but quickly pushed the thoughts aside. I shook my head, clearing it.

Erik gave me a funny look. _You feeling okay?_ he said in my head, his aura calming me from the inside. I instantly relaxed.

_Yes, I'm fine_, I told him, pointing my thoughts in his direction. It still amazed me how telepathy worked. It didn't require nearly as much focus as I had imagined. I smiled at him, and picked up the ball.

"Now, the way this works..." I started to explain serving to him, demonstrating a few times, and letting him practice. He was startlingly good, being his first time playing, but it didn't surprise me in the slightest. He was a psychic legendary after all. Soon, we were ponging it out, with Erik winning, though I chalked it up to my immobility because of my leg.

I was worried about my leg though, and about it being healed. I knew now that I definitely needed it better before two months were up, in order to be fit and ready to stop Rocket. But it was going to be a close call. I brainstormed ideas on speeding up the healing process while I played with Erik.

I was also worried about Articuno. When we had entered the suite, she hadn't even looked around. She hadn't said one word. She just headed into the first master bedroom, and shut the door behind her. We all decided to let her have her space, but that didn't mean I wasn't worried.

After my sixth game in a row losing to Erik, I was just about done with ping pong. "Come on, one more time, Allora? If I can just perfect my reverse swing..."

"It's called a backhand, Erik, and losing isn't the funnest thing in the world," I said, irritated. "Let's go for a walk, I've never been to Cerulean before, and I'd like to look around."

So that's how I ended up walking around the city with Erik, leaving Cali and Jamie in the room, doing Arceus knows what. We left the pokemon center, and headed straight down the road. The sun was getting lower in the sky, hidden behind Mt. Moon to the west, with the horizon turning a brilliant orange color. I let Noche and Sunny out to walk with me and enjoy the weather.

Cerulean was a more modern city than Pewter, with small but fancy privately owned shops, with lots of little trinkets and hand made goods. We walked all around, going in every store, enjoying the artwork and unique clothes and jewelry.

I hobbled down the streets, feeling pathetic on my leg. "Erik?" I asked, just for kicks.

"Yes?"

"Is there any way you could... maybe... use some of your magic legendary powers on my leg to speed up the healing?" I was only half hopeful, having no idea if he could heal anything besides pokemon.

He thought, eyes narrowed, as we walked. "I suppose," he finally responded. "I have never tried to heal a human, but they are animals, just as pokemon are, so it shouldn't be an issue. I should probably look up some information on human anatomy though, just to be safe."

My mood lifted after that, happy that he would at least try. We walked a little closer down the road.

I was worried going into a glass blowing shop with my pokemon out, but they behaved themselves very well, stepping carefully, making sure not to bump into anything. Erik was fascinated by the amazing vases and bowls in that particular store.

"So, none of these things were made with the help of science?" he prodded, looking at a particularly beautiful vase with pink and yellow wisps cascading around it. "No machines, or electricity?"

"Nope," I said, watching his amazement. "Just flames and skill..." I took him to the back of the shop, where the craftsman was sitting, creating another piece for the gallery. A growlithe was on the floor beside him, blowing careful embers onto the glass when he instructed him to. The two were working in perfect harmony, oblivious to Erik and me watching him.

Erik could have stood there for hours, but eventually, I pulled him away. "Let's go look at the jewelry in the next shop.

I wished for a minute in the jewelry shop that I had battled more competitively, to afford some of the nice handmade pieces in the glass cases. There were more people in this shop than the glass blower's; and more men than women.

"Why are the men buying women's items?" Erik asked me, as a man to our right purchased a beautiful golden necklace.

"They buy it for their girlfriend, or fiance, or wife," I explained. "Its a symbol of love... though I would never get gold, it's too hard to wear with anything," I elaborated, watching as the store owner boxed the gift for the customer.

Behind us, there was a sudden gasp. I turned, blood pumping, only to find a young woman, around 18, standing with her hands over her mouth. A young man was on his knee in front of her, holding out a small open box. She nodded her head, breathlessly, and he stood. They embraced. The whole store started applauding, including me. Erik just looked on, confused as ever.

He looked at me after the clapping had died down, and I just laughed. "He was proposing... what, you don't know about that either?" He shook his head. "After a couple has been together for a few years, the man will propose, or ask her to marry him. You know what marriage is, right?"

"It's a legal unity, am I correct?" He said, looking back at the couple.

I giggled again. "Not just that, Erik... it's a bond of love. It's where you pledge yourself to only one person for the rest of your life. It's symbolic..." I let my mind drift away, imagining weddings and flowers and cake and parties and love...

I shook my head again, clearing my thoughts once more. "Come on, let's keep... oh!"

I turned to head back out of the store, when I saw a beautiful necklace, hanging on a display against the wall. It was a simple, silver chain, and on the end was a heart, but the heart was made of the bass and treble clefs used in sheet music. I fell in love with it.

But not with the price. "Mew, look at this." I showed Erik. The tag read 50000P. That was over twice what the government had given me before starting my journey! I placed it back on the hook and laughed lightly to myself.

"That's the other thing about jewelry, it's expensive as all hell," I elaborated, making my way out of the store. Erik's eyes lingered a little longer on the necklace, before he finally followed me back onto the street, Sunny and Noche just behind.

Eventually, we stopped by a grocery store to pick up some things for dinner. This I did have money for. Some pasta... salad... eggs... bread... and we were ready to go. Sunny and Noche picked out a brand of poke food after tasting a few flavors, and soon we were back on our way to the pokemon center.

We took the elevator up, me still on my crutches and Erik carrying all of the grocery bags, and burst into the room. "We're back!" I called. No response for a few moments.

Then; "Oh, uh, we, uh, I'm in the bathroom!" Cali called from one of the bedrooms.

"Um, me too!" yelled Jamie from the same room. I rolled my eyes, and headed to the kitchen, with Erik following.

Sunny and Noche leapt up onto the chairs surrounding the wooden table on the opposite side of the kitchen. They looked ready to eat, licking their lips and eying the food as I took it out of the grocery bags.

"Not yet," I told them, as I began to search for some pots and pans. Doing that while on crutches was a different story. I decided to enlist Erik to help me.

Eventually, after describing to him exactly what I needed, and a few mistakes on his part, we finally got a move on and began cooking. It didn't take long for Cali and Jamie to come on out, and Cali took over for Erik, helping me along even faster. Soon the whole suite smelled like dinner.

Jamie and Erik sat at the table with Sunny and Noche, making conversation, until finally, dinner was ready. Cali let me sit down while she divvied it out and passed it around. The pokemon got up and moved to the sitting room, where we ended up releasing all of our pokemon at once, and pouring all of the poke food in giant metal mixing bowls for them to eat out of, spreading them out around the floor.

Only one thing was missing. "Has anyone seen Articuno?" I asked as we were about to eat. Everyone shook their heads, looking around at each other. I decided to get up and go find her, slowly making my way to the first bedroom as everyone chowed down around me.

I knocked lightly on the door. "Articuno?" I called, with no answer. I touched the door handle, but pulled my hand back quickly. It felt like it was on fire, but it only took me a moment to realize that it was just cold. Really cold.

"Sunny?" I called, and she trotted over to me, a pleased look on her face.

"Flar?"

"Can you heat this door handle up for me?" I asked. She focused, and shot a small ember at the door handle. Normally, that would have made the handle too hot to touch, but it was actually a perfect temperature when evened out with the icy cold. I took a deep breath, and opened the door.

The room looked like it had been turned into an ice rink. I took a few steps into the room, nearly slipping on the ice. I exhaled, and I could see my breath. Sunny walked in as well, her footsteps melting the ice on the ground.

That gave me an idea. "Go ahead, girl, can you melt me a path?" She nodded her head, and took the lead, lowering her tail to the ground and melting a path behind her as she walked.

Articuno was nowhere in the bedroom, but I could hear noise from the bathroom. "Heat up the handle again, Sunny," I asked, beginning to shiver as I neared the bathroom. She did, and I opened that door as well.

Articuno was seated on what used to be the kitchen sink, but was now part of an icy landscape that she had created within the bathroom. She was staring straight ahead, focusing on a a floating wisp-like form. It was light blue, and sparkling, as it was so cold that it took the moisture from the air and froze it, creating tiny sparkling crystals. She turned her head, shocked, as I entered.

"Arti!" she screeched as i entered, and an icy spear shot from her mouth at my head. If it wasn't for Sunny shooting it down with flames, I would have died right there. I stood, frozen to the spot (almost literally) until the hatred and anger in Articuno's eyes dissipated.

"Allora?" she said, almost confused, recognition coming into her eyes. Then, it was replaced with sadness.

She began to cry.

"I am so sorry!" she wailed, her tears freezing as soon as they were made, and piling up in her palms, where there was already a significant pile in the first place.

I waddled towards her, Sunny clearing a path for me, though it wasn't doing much to prevent my shivering.

"I m-m-made din-in-in-errrr," I forced out, my teeth chattering like crazy.

"Oh, you must be freezing!" she realized.

"R-r-really-y? I hadn't-t-t not-ticed-d-d," I said, as sarcastic as I could manage while focusing on keeping my toes attached to my body.

We left the bathroom, and Articuno gasped. "I tried to contain it to the bathroom, it's just, when I get too upset, sometimes, I can't control it..." She sounded miserable, and I would have comforted her, had I been able to say more words.

We finally made it out of the bedroom, with a crowd gathered around the door, and unbelievable commotion about what was happening.

"Vul, pix?"

"Saur saur ivysaur!"

"Nine arcanine nine!"

"Dactyl?"

"Whirl, polywhirl po polywhirl."

"King!" Nidoking..."

"Dra tini dratini!"

"It's alright, everyone," Articuno called over the pokemon ruckus. Cali and Jamie and Erik were only standing by worried.

"Erik translated what the pokemon were saying, and we came to see what was going on," Cali elaborated. Articuno nodded, sheepish.

"I just got a little emotional..." she admitted. "The room is a little cold." I snorted at this comment, freezing cold even out in the heated room.

"Um, some of the fire types... go melt out the room if you don't mind," Cali ordered. Sam, Sunny, Star, and Flare all went to go thaw out the frozen... everything covering the bedroom.

"I think I'll sleep outside, so I don't freeze anything else," she said, half jokingly. I nodded, still shivering, making my way to the dinner table.

"Anyway, like I had sa-said, dinner is r-ready," I called, my shivers dying down slightly when I entered the warm kitchen, leaning my crutches against the wall and sitting at the table.

I was never more thankful for warm spaghetti.

We spent another evening listening to the two legendary pokemon tell stories, with Articuno surprisingly telling a few that Moltres and Zapdos had told her, just to keep things interesting. I'm sure that I wasn't the only one who noticed the tears in her eyes as she spoke, or the ice crystals forming around her fingertips.

We sat on the L-shaped couch, laughing until way past the sunset. Erik sat beside me, and, though I don't remember exactly when, somewhere in the mix our hands ended up intertwined. Articuno took note, but it was impossible for me to tell what she was thinking.

Our pokemon were all back in their pokeballs, save for Sunny, Noche, Sam, and Verde, three of which were curled up in a cozy ball on the rug in front of us, fast asleep. Noche, being nocturnal, was lying down on my right, his head in my lap, yellow rings glowing faintly in the dim lighting.

"And so I had to freeze the entire wave. Do you know how hard it is to freeze salt water?" Erik nodded, but the three of us shook our heads in unison. "Well, it's pretty hard," Articuno said, concluding another one of her astounding stories.

Cali yawned hugely, followed by myself and Jamie afterwards. We covered our mouthes, each in turn feeling extremely rude. The two legendaries just smirked at each other.

"I guess it's time for the mortals to get some sleep," Articuno joked with a small laugh. We stood, quietly, so not to wake the sleeping pokemon. Articuno headed back into her room. "Don't worry, I won't freeze it this time, I don't think!"

I opened my mouth to express a little concern, but the door was already closed. I lowered my hand and sighed instead. I stood slightly crooked, my hard cast on my leg adding an extra two inches to my height on that side. Jamie and Cali headed into another room by themselves (shocker.) Noche actually padded into the kitchen to sit on the windowsill and watch the moon. It had become a habit of his, according to Cali.

This left Erik and I, standing awkwardly in the center of the room, holding hands. "Well... goodnight," I started, and turned to hobble into the last room. Erik's grip only tightened on my hand, though, holding me back. I turned back to face him.

"I cannot stay with you?" he asked innocently.

I stared back, thinking with my mouth slightly open, but I quickly shut it and decided. _What the hell? _"Sure, why not?" I said, immediately feeling nervous. I turned back and headed to the bedroom, Erik in tow.

The room was spacious, with a bathroom on the left side wall, and a giant king sized bed against the back wall. It had large bedposts, and a cover with draping curtains along the side of it. It looked like something that should have been in a castle, not a pokemon center.

I let go of Erik's hand, and went to my bag. My clothes were rolled into tube-like formations that saved space when packing, and I pulled out my night shirt and leggings, heading to the bathroom to change.

My night shirt was soft and loose, hanging down just over my backside. The leggings were super comfortable, with little wispy patterns all over, and they were super breathable. An excellent change from the jeans I had been wearing, along with my cast, which I removed and placed in the bathroom against the wall. It was freeing without the cast on, but I was also much more careful.

When I got back, Erik was sitting on the bed, toying with one of the curtains. He looked up when I opened the bathroom door, and watched, amused, as I hopped on one leg over to the bed. I turned and fell backwards onto it when I was close enough, laying on my back, staring at the little bed canopy.

The curtains closed around me, it created a little space that was surprisingly secure feeling, and cozy. I smiled to myself. Lazily, I pulled myself towards the pillows, and got under the absurdly cushy blankets. It was so warm and soft... I noticed Erik, still sitting at the end of the bed, watching.

I smiled tiredly, and patted the spot to my left. "Come on, get on in, if you're staying with me tonight."

I giggled slightly when his face got red, mostly because he didn't realize what was happening, or why it was happening, and he began touching his face all over, completely perplexed.

"My face... it is tingly and hot feeling. Allora, what is happining?" he said, panicking slightly. I just laughed harder.

"Just get over here," I said through giggles. "Nothing is wrong, stop molesting your face."

Finally, he managed to get into the bed and get comfortable, sinking into the mattress and visibly relaxing. I turned and faced him, watching as the wrinkles in his forehead disappeared, and he breathed deeply.

I tried something. _How are you feeling,_ I thought in his direction as hard as I could. He jolted up, holding his head.

"There's no need to yell," he moaned, rubbing his temples. I felt sheepish, but not enough to keep from laughing.

"What is so funny?" he mumbled, looking at me. I laughed harder, eventually causing a chain reaction. Soon, he was laughing as well, a sound that I adored. He didn't do it enough, and when he did, it was a snicker, not a belly laugh.

Eventually, we tired ourselves out from laughing, and he laid back down. I didn't realize until then how much I actually liked him. He made me feel so... safe.

_What are you thinking_, said a voice in my head, soft and calming.

_I want... to be closer to you,_ I thought, not as hard that time.

He scooted over towards me, turning so his body faced mine. We were soon nose to nose. He stared into my eyes, all serious once again.

How is this, came the voice again, apprehensive.

I leaned forward and kissed him, differently from all the other times. I filled this kiss with the emotions I had felt the last few days, the feelings that I had towards him, even still, knowing what he was. I kissed him passionately, moving slowly so as to teach him the right way to do it.

I took his hand, and placed it on the side of my face, and the let go, moving my own to his chest. His breath was uneven, and that made me happy, but i suppressed the urge to laugh once again. I moved my body closer, so we were touching.

I spent that night teaching Erik what it was like to be human, and showing him what a new emotion, lust, really feels like.


	24. Water

I woke up the next morning to the sunrise. It was still early, and I was the most comfortable I had been in a long time. I rolled over, favoring my left leg carefully as to not injure myself any further. Erik had been very gentle the night before, making sure not to hurt me during our... bonding time.

Erik. He had had his arm around me, and when I turned around, he was facing me, his eyes closed, but they had opened when I finished moving, as if he wasn't even sleeping. "Good morning," he said carefully, furrowing his brows. "Last night was..." he struggled to find words."

I giggled, and kissed him lightly. "Amazing?" I supplied, and he smiled back.

"Yes..." he said, moving closer. Our bare skin touched once more, and I shivered, remembering the... education... I had bestowed upon him the night before. "I had never known love could feel like that."

I snorted, giving him another peck, and sitting up in bed. I held the blanket to my chest, and arched my back, stretching. He traced his fingers lightly over my spine, giving me more shivers. "Lemme... get dressed," I said, feeling slightly embarrassed. Its not like he was able to see my body the night before, and I was nervous about him being able to actually see it in the daylight. I sat on the edge of the bed, carefully reaching to the floor (so as not to hurt my leg) and picking up my clothes, which I had not-so-carefully discarded onto the floor the night before.

I managed to get dressed without revealing too much of myself, and I stood, hobbling to the bathroom. Erik watched me the entire time, a strange look in his eyes, a look I could not place.

I changed into my clothes for the day, putting on another pair of leggings and a flowing, spring dress that I had been saving to wear on a nice day. It was also just easier to wear my cast over leggings, and the dress was the only thing I had that really matched. It was black, with pink flowers cascading from the top, leaving a 'pile' of them along the bottom rim. It was delicate, something I hadn't been very accustomed to the last few weeks.

I left the bathroom and Erik had also changed. I took all of our clothes from both of our bags, and put them in the washing machine that our suite had come with. I had no idea how long our deal on the suite would last, but I wouldn't have minded taking a break from traveling for a while. I told myself to remember to ask the front desk.

Erik and I headed to the kitchen, and I grabbed a bowl and some cereal, making myself some breakfast. He was fascinated.

"What is this soup that is cold?" he asked, staring intently at the frosted corn flakes that I poured into a bowl. He watched me pour milk as well, entranced.

"It's cereal," I explained. "It's not... well I guess it is soup, kind of..." I grabbed a spoon and started to eat.

Of course, I let him try it, and he was addicted. "Oh my Arceus," he said, licking his lips. "That is an amazing invention! It is sweet, but can be eaten as a meal itself, and not just as a dessert!"

I sighed, smiling to myself. "You know Erik, we aren't ten. We don't have parents telling us to only eat sweet things after dinner or whatever. Like, we can eat when we want."

"It just defies the usual tradition," he mused, watching. He stood, and poured himself a bowl, devouring it twice as fast as I was. I snorted. He was like a little kid sometimes.

Cali and Jamie finally came out of their room, looking pretty frazzled, but I was in no position to judge. They ate as well, making small talk, but it was unusually quiet (Cali wasn't much of a morning person.)

Noche was sleeping on the windowsill, and the two fire pokemon were still in the living room. I felt bad for Noche, and not wanting to wake him up yet, I returned him, so he could keep resting.

Articuno was the last to come out, looking like she felt better than she had the night before. She didn't eat anything, informing us that legendaries don't need to eat nearly as often as humans. It made sense.

"So, what's the plan?" asked Jamie. They all turned towards me.

I swallowed my mouth full of food. "What," I asked, looking between them.

"Well duh!" said Cali. I jumped, that was the first real thing she had said all morning, besides grumpy mumbling about food. "Don't you want to challenge the gym?" Oh yeah.

Cerulean gym. Water types. I had honestly done zero planning for it, and I had no idea what I was up against. But I wasn't too worried. My pokemon could handle it, they had grown a lot in the last week or so.

And that's how I ended up in line for my second gym challenge. We arrived around lunch time, with only one person in front of me to sign in. Once he was done, I moved up and signed the paperwork required. It was almost identical to the Pewter forms, aside from a few mentions of the gym not being responsible for 'drownings.' I swallowed, and signed my name.

I turned back towards my fan base, giving Cali a hug. "We'll be in the stands again!" she called. "High up... away from the water..." She shuddered.

Jamie laughed. "Don't worry the water isn't going to be able to get us," he joked with her. She didn't laugh, but released her hold on me, and headed to the observer's door.

"What's up with her?" he asked, confused, still not knowing about her fear of water. I sighed. She would tell him eventually.

"Ask her sometime. Later. In private," I said pointedly. He nodded, still watching her go.

Articuno gave me a thumbs up as she passed, following Cali to make sure she was okay. Erik gave me a big hug, but did not say anything. They all left to go sit in the stands, and I headed to the competitor's side.

Once again, I was in a small waiting room, complete with four chairs, a water cooler, and a small table. It was set up identical to the rock type gym's waiting room, though the color scheme was blue and white, not brown and black. I released my pokemon.

My full team of six was more cramped in the small space. This gym battle was a three on three match, in a pool of water. I needed to use whoever I thought could battle best around water, yet not have a weakness to it, but could also land hits. It was a tough decision, and my team seemed to sense my stress, for they were not as rowdy as they were the first time.

I petted Sunny as she sat in my lap. I knew I wasn't going to use her, she hated water and swimming, and was a fire type. I wasn't going to use Noche either, for he was a land pokemon and had no advantage in the water. And I didn't want to use Icarus, for being part rock type, he had a weakness to water.

So that seemed to narrow it down for me, leaving me with Splash, Diamond, and Glitter. Glitter could fly, and knew giga drain, a grass type move that could give me an edge. Diamond could swim, and Splash was much better in water than on land. Diamond could use thunder... though to be effective she would have to use rain dance, which would power up the leader's pokemon as well.

The leader, Aqua, was a formidable trainer. I knew that she used water types, that was a given, but I knew nothing else. I had no idea about their dual types or weaknesses, and was completely in the dark.

I explained my limited plan to my pokemon, and they nodded enthusiastically, trusting my instincts. Noche was once again disappointed, but more understanding this time as to why he couldn't battle. It wasn't long before an attendant came to get me.

"The leader will see you now." It was a man in what looked like a Navy uniform. He stood, stone faced. I gulped, returning my pokemon and standing carefully on my crutches. I hitched my way out of the waiting room and into the gym.

The battlefield was a large pool, olympic sized, with floating platforms on chains attached to the bottom of the pool. Two waterfalls flowed from the side walls into the water, creating a lot of noise. My side of the shore was completely divided from the gym leader's by water. As I neared the edge, two flat screen giant TV's came out from the walls. They clicked on, and showed a clear view of under the water. I nodded. That would come in handy.

I looked up, and couldn't help but smile at Cali waving her hands spastically and shouting. "You can do it!" she shouted over the noise of the waterfalls, clapping. Jamie had his head in his hands. I giggled.

The trainer box had fencing around the front, preventing me from falling in the water. I was grateful for that, for I was worried about my stability on crutches in the heat of battle, and my swimming ability in a cast.

The leader, Aqua, came out from the opposite side of the gym. She had her hair pulled back in a tight bun, and Navy dress whites on. She saluted the referee, and stepped into the trainer box.

A referee handed me an earpiece, which I put in, confused. The leader began to speak and I understood why.

"Allora Silverfield?" she called, asking. Her voice echoed though the speakers lining the gym.

"Yes?" I said in my normal voice. It echoed throughout the gym as well. The microphone earpieces made sense, so the pokemon could hear not only underwater, but over the waterfall noise.

She nodded. "This is a three on three single battle. Only the challenger may subsitute. Let us begin!" And without warning, we were off.

She tossed out a pokeball. "Golduck!" she called. I swallowed. A sleek looking blue pokemon appeared on one of the platforms across the battlefield. It stood calmly, waiting for orders.

"Splash, let's go!" I called, tossing out a pokeball. My poliwhirl appeared in a flash of light, on the platform closest to me. The two pokemon faced off.

"Dive, Golduck," she commanded. The golduck jumped up and dove as an olympic swimmer would, leaving barely a splash.

"You too, Splash! Show him how swimming is done!" Splash dove in as well, and I looked up at the monitors.

The two pokemon were locked in a battle of agility. Both were amazing swimmers, neither one fully able to best the other. The golduck seemed to be slightly faster, but Splash made up for that fault with his bulky strength. He seemed to take any hits the golduck threw at him in stride, without losing any ground.

I knew that water type attacks wouldn't do much against a water type, and so I thought, brainstorming as my pokemon performed amazing underwater acrobatics. "Try a hypnosis!"

"Zen headbutt," ordered Aqua, no emotion on her face at all. Splash turned towards the golduck, the pattern on his chest seeming to pop out and swirl. But the golduck was fast, its head glowing purple, smashing into Splash. He was knocked back, but the golduck wasn't moving anymore, having run head first into the hypnosis.

"Awesome!" I cheered, my voice resonating thoughout the gym. "Low kick!"

"Wake up!" called Aqua, a hint of frustration in her amplified voice. Splash zoomed towards Golduck, kicking it right in the stomach. That woke it up, eyes popping, and its breath bursting from its lungs in a cascade of bubbles. Frantically, it swam towards the surface.

"Daaaah!" it shouted, inhaling in the fresh air. It clamored onto an island, laying on its stomach, panting. Splash climbed up next to it, ready to go.

Aqua nodded her head. "I will withdraw Golduck, he is unable to battle." That was a good decision. The poor thing looked ready to panic, not being used to losing its breath underwater.

She recalled him, and pulled out another pokeball. "Come out, gyarados!" Shit. She really wasn't holding back.

"Um," I stammered, watching as the giant sea dragon pokemon reared its head out of the water. Splash panicked.

"Poli!" he wailed, diving back into the water where he thought it was safe. I gulped, looking at the monitor. The gyarados was giant, nearly sixty feet long, with a mouth that could swallow Splash whole. Splash was fast in the water, but I didn't know if he was fast enough.

"Dive!" I shouted, and he swam, the gyarados following close behind, its gaping jaws looking comical behind Splash as he tried to escape. He dove deeper, the giant pokemon baring down on him. I cringed watching, there was no way he was going to be able to out run it. But maybe he could make it sleep...

"Turn around and use hypnosis!" I called. Turns out I was wrong. He turned around and panicked again, flailing in the water. The gyarados bit down on his body and shook him around like a rag doll, then threw him out of the water.

"Poliwhaaaaaa!" he cried, flying into the air. I returned him before he could fall back down and hit the island.

"Sorry again buddy," I whispered into the ball, grimacing. I really owed him a break after this. I pulled out another pokeball. "Let's go, Diamond!"

She came out in all her beauty, rearing her head out of the water. She wasn't quite as long as the gyarados, but she was big enough, I hoped, to be even with it. She faced off, unafraid.

I knew gyarados had a double weakness to electricity, and so I knew what I needed to lead with. "Rain dance, let's go!"

Her eyes turned completely white, and she began moving her head back and forth rhythmically, Above the battlefield, rainclouds formed inside, and a downpour began. I heard Cali shriek from the stands upstairs, and looked over just in time to see an attendant running towards them, holding a stack full of umbrellas.

Aqua was unfazed. "We braved many storms on our boats in the Navy, this doesn't scare us!" The gyarados roared. I shuddered, but Diamond was once again unfazed.

"Nair," she hummed.

I grinned, my plan going into effect, "Oh yeah? Thunder!"

At this, Diamond reared her head, focusing on the storm. Thunder rumbled, and a giant bolt of lightning came down from the sky, illuminating Aqua's shocked face. The gyarados was struck, completely electrocuted, and was completely out for the count. Another giant rumble of thunder followed.

"Gyarados is unable to battle!" called a referee, as Aqua returned her pokemon, a shocked look on her face.

"Dewgong," she called, less confidently. The seal pokemon came out, sitting on an island. "Use hail!"

The air became colder, and the rain turned to ice. Cali once again shrieked, and I looked up once again, this time to see the frazzled attendant putting a tent up over their heads and apologizing. Articuno scooted out from under the tent, smiling, letting the hail pelt her skin.

That put a damper on my plans. "Try surf!" I called. Diamond swung her tail over her head, carrying water with it, and swamped the dewgong on the island. It had little effect.

Aqua was back in buisness. "Ice beam!" she called. Shit.

"Dive! Dive!" I shouted frantically, and Diamond moved to do so, but it was too late. The ice beam hit her full force in the chest, and she fell in the water, floating, unconscious.

"Dragonair is unable to battle," the ref announced. I returned her, and called out Glitter, now more worried about my strategy.

The butterfree came out, and was immediately pelted with the hail in her wings. I grimaced. "Use giga drain, recover some of that energy!"

"Ice beam again," called Aqua calmly. The dewgong began firing ice beams at poor Glitter, who zigzagged across the field, avoiding them as best she could.

"Now!" She unfolded her wings, and a greenish air flowed from the dewgong to her body. She seemed to become stronger, but the hail was preventing her from gaining the advantage.

It wasn't long before the ice beam hit, and her double weakness put her out. She was done, but not without doing significant damage to the dewgong. I called out Splash, my last pokemon. He was exhausted, and panted as he stood on the island.

"One more hit!" I called, and he nodded, taking action. The two dove into the water, and battled it out.

It was a battle of wills, but Splash had the clear advantage. He landed a super effective low kick, and the dewgong was done. I jumped up and down, clapping my hands. I hobbled out of my trainer box on my crutches, towards the edge of the pool.

I forgot that hail makes the ground slick. I lost my balance.

I fell into the pool, dragged down by my cast. No matter how hard I struggled, I couldn't swim up. I watched the surface fall away from me, and my vision faded to black once again. 


	25. Loss and Gain

If you haven't checked out my newest story, Soldier, please give it a look!

* * *

><p>For the second time that week, I woke up in the Cerulean hospital.<p>

Perfect, I thought, groaning as I opened my eyes to see the familiar fluorescent lights hanging above my head. I squinted, letting my eyes adjust, and shifted my legs. My left leg was elevated once again in a sling, with my cast on holding my bones in place. My right leg was fine, just uncomfortably hot, and adjusted it slightly until my toes were outside the blanket. I sighed, feeling slightly better.

Erik opened the door then, stepping inside quietly. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked softly. He walked over to the side of my bed, quietly, until he was beside me. He took my hand in both of his.

"Yeah..." I said, thinking. "I drowned, didn't I?" I asked laughing slightly.

He smiled. "Not completely," he began. He told me the story of how Splash had dove down to the depths as I sank to the bottom, and how he had hoisted me to the surface, with me being unconscious.

"Aqua bent over your body, and pushed on your chest, and kissed you," Erik said with a straight face, "And somehow the kissing caused you to start coughing, and then we took you to the hospital."

"Um, you mean CPR?" I asked, grinning at Erik's ever present lack of education on human practices.

He shrugged, a motion he had picked up from traveling with us. "I do not know what that means..."

So I explained to him how the 'kissing' was really her blowing air into my lungs, and the pushing on my chest was pumping out water from my lungs while at the same time restarting my heart.

He was fascinated. "It makes so much sense to me... I had just never imagined that such physical stimuli could be effective in resuscitation!"

I nodded, pretending to understand his burst of scientific speech. "Yeah... I think I just need to be more careful. Where is Splash?"

"Sleeping with the others in the waiting room," Erik explained. "You have not been sleeping as long as last time... but your pokemon did have time to go to the pokemon center and get completely healed, and they insisted on waiting for you outside of their pokeballs." He smiled. "You should probably get some sleep too."

"How long was I out?" I asked, worried about having caused us to lose more time.

"Not long," he explained. "Only the rest of the day and night. It is only four in the morning here, you should rest." He leaned against the bed I was in, bending over and kissing my lips gently.

I was worried about you, he said in my head. Feelings of genuine caring and love washed over me when we touched. Our connection had gotten stronger recently, and I realized that it was due to our recent sexual endeavors.

I am fine, do not worry, I thought back to him, trying to convey that I really was fine. He pulled back from the kiss and nodded, turning around and dimming the light above my head.

"Get some rest, Allora."

~

The next morning I woke to the bright sunshine pouring through my window. I turned my head from the window, shielding my eyes, and groaned when I saw the clock. It was already almost noon. In the back of my mind, I could feel... Erik. I realized it was him as I lay there, analyzing the feeling. The day before I had felt something in my head, but ignored it, as I would a headache or other type of disturbance. But our connection had gotten even stronger, until I realized that I was able to feel his emotions, just as he could feel mine.

What I felt now was him realizing that I had woken up. It was strange, for I could not feel his thoughts, but his emotions and intentions. I felt that he was heading to my room, and soon enough, there he was, opening the door.

"Allora good morning-"

"I felt you coming up here," I blurted. His face looked shocked, but pleased.

"This is normal," he informed me. "Psychic powers sometimes rub off on those that a psychic pokemon is close to. I did not expect it to happen to you, for I am not quite a pokemon at the moment, but..."

"Our connection must just be that strong," I finished for him. He nodded.

"Which is not a bad thing... in fact I feel that I enjoy it?" he half questioned. I nodded.

"Me too."

~

Everyone else was back in the suite, waiting for me to be discharged that morning and to head back to the center. Erik walked me over, making sure I was okay, having been nearly dead the day before, and then two days before that. I seemed accident prone recently, and I was determined not to get hurt anymore.

"You're okay!" Cali squealed, hugging me tight as soon as we opened the door. She jumped up and down, crushing my lungs in her grip.

"Cali... leg... air..." I breathed, trying not to pass out.

"Oh, sorry!" She pulled back. Then I got a good look at the room.

I first noticed that Aqua was sitting on the couch, her golduck sitting beside her. They were watching Cali and I, her only with the ghost of a smile on her lips. She stood as I began to hobble to her.

"That was quite the irresponsible decision," she remarked, referring to my choice to leave the trainer box, on the ice covered floor, in my crutches. She didn't say it in a condescending way, but a factual, indisputable way. I nodded, unable to argue.

"Yes, it was," I agreed.

"You left without your badge." She pulled out a small pouch from her pocket, and pulled open the drawstring. She tipped it over and let the badge fall in her hand. It was a simple blue color, shaped like a raindrop. "The cascade badge."

I took it from her hand and nodded, reminding myself to put it in my badge case once she left. She fished through her other pocket, pulling out a CD case.

"This is the TM water pulse," she explained. "It is useful, and sometimes confuses opponents."

I was vaguely aware that everyone was crowded around us in a circle, my pokemon included. "Thank you, Splash will make good use of this, I think."

"That is the other reason why I am here," she began quickly. My heart fluttered, and I panicked, thinking Spash had drowned somehow whilst saving my life.

Aqua saw my panic and shook her head. "No, he is fine. Better than fine, actually..." At that, Splash pushed his way out of the small crowd of pokemon that had gathered around.

He had grown, having muscular legs and arms, and standing a foot taller that before. His chest was wider as well. "Poliwrath!" he greeted, eyes smiling.

"I have never seen a pokemon quite as heroic as this one here," Aqua said, showing real emotion for the first time; awe. She regarded Splash proudly. "I would be honored if I could train him further, he could make a great soldier. He has the right stuff."

I realized what she was asking, and nodded slowly. "I think he could probably grow more under your guidance than mine," I said, breathing out a heavy sigh.

Splash looked back and forth between me and Aqua. In his evolved form, he stood now just at my waist, and his eyes showed worry. "Wrath?"

I knelt down beside him as best I could with my injured leg. I leaned on my crutches. "Splash, you are so strong!" I began, aware of my voice tightening. "And you got so strong in such a short amount of time... You are too strong for me to help you anymore buddy." I let go of my crutch to reach out and hug him. Instead, I lost my balance and started to fall to the side as soon as I let go.

"Wah!" I yelped, hating that feeling of falling. Splash reached out one of his arms, and held me steady so I didnt fall. I regained my balance, unsteadily. Then I tried again, reaching out and hugging him.

"I'll be back for you, buddy," I said, reassuring him and myself.

Aqua nodded in agreement. "Yes, I am only to be your mentor, but you are still Allora's pokemon."

I heard Cali sniffle, making it harder for me to resist the urge to shed a tear. I could even sense that Erik felt my sadness, making it even harder to hold it together. Everyone in the room was quiet.

"I'll be back," I repeated. "And you'll be stronger than ever, okay?"

"Poli poliwrath!" he said, liking the sound of what I told him. It helped me that at least he was excited about it.I felt that my heart was breaking and I didn't know why. But it was best for Splash, because I knew that nothing I did anymore would be able to help him grow. But being with the Naval officer, doing military training, would be perfect for the now dual fighting and water type.

I stood, nodding to Aqua once again. She was dressed in her Navy uniform, this one deep blue and white. Her white-blonde hair was pulled back into a tight bun, with a Naval cap sitting on her head. She nodded back to me.

I took a deep breath in, and let it out shakily. I hobbled to my room, where my bag had been placed by my friends while I was in the hospital. I fished around for Splash's ball, and headed back to the lobby. I handed it over to Aqua, who took it, unceremoniously, and returned Splash.

And that was it, for the time being. I had no idea when I would ever see my pokemon again, and he was gone. Aqua saluted me, thanked Erik for letting her into the suite, and left. Just like that.

It felt as if part of my soul had been removed. I spent the rest of that day in my room, sitting on my bed, thinking hard about... everything. Everything that had happened to me.

I didn't understand why letting go of Splash for the time being was so hard. It hadn't been as big of a deal, leaving Snuf with Professor Oak. But I had only used Snuf in one battle, and had him for a short time. But Splash and I had been through so much already. Hell, he had evolved twice under my care. He was so persistent, so eager to learn. I twirled my cascade badge between my fingers, thinking. Finally, I clipped it into my badge case next to my stone badge.

Two badges, six to go. I had only been on the road for close to three weeks now, and already so much had happened. I stared at the ceiling, feet dangling over the edge of the bed. I had met two legendary pokemon, fallen in love with a third, captured pokemon, won gym badges, fought Team Rocket, and been hospitalized twice. I cracked a smile at that thought.

"Allora?" was the voice. I looked to my right, not surprised. I had felt his concern already. Erik closed the door behind him, walking towards me.

"What's it like?" I mused, just because I could.

"What?"

"Changing into something new?" I rolled over on my hip, laying as a model would on the bed. Realizing this, I playfully put my hand on my hip, striking a pose. Erik was confused as to what exactly I was doing, making it even more amusing to me. He had no idea about what human sex appeal meant.

"Well," he began, still looking at me strangely. "It's quite different. Not having my tail is... different." As he spoke, his hands travelled unconsciously to each part of his body he addressed. At the moment, his hands were on his ass. I giggled.

"Thumbs were nice for my research," he said, moving his own up and down. "And I'm shorter than usual. But the biggest change for me is not being able to use my powers."

"It seemed like, in your memory, you had a lot more powers than you do now. Even after Darkrai took most of them from you." I patted the bed next to me, and he sat down.

"That's because I was not holding this form." I looked at him, confused. "I am not permanently in this form," he explained. "I am constantly maintaining it with my mind, leaving me only a small amount of power to pull from."

"So... if you ever stopped holding it..."

"I would transform back into my natural form, yes," he answered.

"Can I see you?" I whispered, suddenly very nervous. I had no idea what he would look like, at all. What if he was fearsome? What if he was... I didn't know where my mind was going, but I was terrified.

"No," he said, both relieving me and slightly disappointing me at the same time. "If I return to my true form, Darkrai will find my aura. Currently, by altering my body, I have also changed my aura, making me undetectable. But, if I transformed back, I would need to expand nearly all of my energy to shield myself from detection."

I nodded, understanding. Erik seemed so knowledgeable about so many things, it really was awe inspiring. But then he would pull shit like not knowing what cereal is, and I would remember that I knew a lot about things too, just maybe different things.

Erik looked away, towards the bathroom, lost in thought. I could feel him in the back of my mind, and I decided to try something. I focused hard, on his energy in my mind, opening myself to it. I could then feel his emotions more clearly, able to pick up what he was thinking about. His thought were on Darkrai, sometimes I was able to catch small visuals of his train of thought. Flashes of Darkrai here, pictures of the cave there, and so on. But soon... his thoughts began to... drift.

I soon felt red in the face as I realized where his head was. Er... both of his heads. He looked up at me and I averted my eyes.

"Can we do what we did the other night?" he asked, hopeful. "It was fun, I had never done that before in my pokemon form."

I couldn't help but laugh at his naivety. "Sure, why not," I agreed, feeling my body tingling.

~

A few hours later, I lay in bed beside Erik once again. It had been a good distractor, and mood lifter, because I was no longer as upset about Splash leaving.

"It will be good for him," Erik said, reading my thoughts. It seemed that our connection had only improved even more. I was now able to catch whole phrases running through his mind, and he was able to do the same with mine.

I sighed deeply, shifting my body closer to his, and laying my head on his chest. He smelled... once again, of something I couldn't describe. It wasn't a cologne, for I didn't think Erik even knew what cologne was, let alone why it was used. But he smelled like him, and I loved it.

I fell asleep very early that night, earlier than usual. Like... I think it was close to seven. But I slept deep and peacefully, feeling safe with Erik by my side. I didn't make dinner that night, but I figured Cali and Jamie could fix something for themselves. It's not like I was their mother, anyway.

The next day, I went down to the lobby in the morning. I had been too busy with my medical issues the day before to ask about our welcome in the suite, so I made sure to take care of that first thing.

The elevator opened up into a hallway, lined with the other hotel rooms on the first floor. I exited the hotel portion of the center, into the lobby that also contained the healing ward. The front desk had multiple sections, addressing different portions of the center. This was the first time I really paid attention to what they were, mostly because I needed to find the housing desk.

Cerulean has a smaller center than others in the region, but anything was bigger than Lavender Town's. It was giant, to me, and this became more apparent as I realized how many different sections of the center there were.

There is a gym and training center, complete with a pool, workout room, and practice battle arena. There was the health and safety center, which had the help desk for the pokemon hospital, as well as contact information and transport to the human hospital, just down the road. There was an entertainment center, with a game room, bar area, theater, ect. And the housing section, with the hotel section of the center, as well as boarding for pokemon.

The lines were completely empty, and so I walked right up to the desk and rang the small bell. A tall, skinny man with bright green hair came out of the back room and approached me warmly.

He answered all of my questions gladly, informing me that our contract for the suite lasted until the coming friday, giving us three more days in the nice, free room. I thanked him and left, heading upstairs, intending to make good use of all three days.

My pokemon were all out of their pokeballs, sitting around each other in a circle in the center of the sitting room. Erik was sitting on the couch, watching them along with Articuno. Jamie and Cali were still sleeping... or, they weren't out of their room, anyway.

Diamond was curled with her tail wrapped around, forming her body into a circle, and my pokemon were each sitting inside of the curve, chatting with each other. Noche and Sunny sat beside each other, with Icarus and Glitter opposite them, and Diamond hanging her head above the little gathering. Sunny would chitter, and the others, including Articuno and Erik, would listen. Occasionally, one of the two legendaries would interject into their conversation, and my pokemon would respond.

I approached the gathering curiously, Erik being the first to notice my presence, though I was positive he had already sensed I was coming. Sunny and Noche bounded over Diamond's coiled body, and to my sides in greeting. I bent carefully, having left my crutches in my room, and scratched them both on the ears.

"Um umbreon bre."

"Fla flareon!"

I looked at Erik for translation. "They said they want a new team member," he translated. "They have all been having a detailed conversation about it whilst you were absent."

I looked down. "Already?" I questioned. They nodded their heads, an action reciprocated by the other three across the room.

"Flar flareon re flareon," Sunny elaborated. I blinked.

"She says that they like having partners, and that you need one of the water type."

"I know that guys," I explained. I did. I had accepted that it could be years before Splash was done with his training. "But we can't just find a water type that quickly... one that would be right for the team." I didn't want anything fishy, because they were hard to have out anywhere but in the water, and Cali was terrified enough as it was without me toting around a fishy pokemon.

"Umbre," Noche declared.

"He says, Professor Oak."

So that's how I ended up calling Gary Oak on my pokell, video chatting with him, surrounded by my pokemon. "And she took Splash, training him further," I explained.

He nodded. "It was wise of you to give him up for the time being. Pokemon need to grow, and Aqua will be able to bring out his highest potential." He leaned back in his chair. "So, what could I do for you?"

"Actually," I said, "Diamond mentioned something about you giving away starter pokemon once upon a time?" I questioned. I felt bad asking, he had already given us three very helpful pokemon. But Diamond had insisted, according to Erik, that I question him about another pokemon. "She mentioned a pokemon named... Aberforth?"

Oak nodded, recognizing the name. "Yes, he and Diamond have been friends for many, many years, back when she was just a dratini. Aberforth was a life-long friend of her father, Samuel Oak's dragonite. He is quite aged... and quite strange." Oak looked lost in thought.

He did not speak for a while, and I almost thought he had forgotten we were there, but then he looked up. "I guess I shall send him over. It will do him good to get back in shape. He is hundreds of years young." Oak chuckled. "Maybe it is time for a new adventure for him. I shall have to go and find him, but his ball will be transported to the Cerulean center by tonight. You can pick it up downstairs."

We thanked him, Cali and Jamie having come out of their room in the middle of the conversation. After I hung up, I explained the situation. I was happy to be receiving a new partner, and soon. I hadn't realized how accustomed I had been to having a full team of 6 until I lost Splash.

I felt a little guilty about asking Oak for another pokemon, but he seemed excited about it on the phone. He must have really missed giving starter pokemon away, because he seemed more than willing to offer up whatever he had laying around the lab.

So most of that day I spent waiting around the sitting room once again. This time, I was teaching Erik how to play a card game with Cali and Jamie. Articuno had turned down playing, deciding just to watch and learn.

I dealt the cards and picked up my hand. I had decided to start with something simple, to ease Erik into the idea of playing mind games with cards.

"The idea is to make pairs, by asking other players for cards that you already have in your hand," I explained to him. "Cali, do you have any... three's?"

She groaned, pulling a three from her hand and passing it to me. "You were always too good at this game," she grumbled. I put my matched pair on the table.

"You're turn, Erik," I instructed.

He looked around, eying each one of us with a critical eye. "Jamie..." he began hesitantly. "Do you have any... A's?"

"Aces," I whispered to him.

"Aces?" he corrected quickly.

"Nope!" Jamie said proudly. "Go fish!"

Erik looked around, confused. "But... I see no water to fish in..."

"No," I elaborated, trying not to laugh. "He means draw a card."

"But why would he not just say 'draw a card,' instead of instructing me to go fishing without a rod or body of water?"

I sighed. I really had hoped this game would be simple enough for him to grasp. "Let's try another game."

We tried Hoenn hold 'em, and got locked into a conversation about why the ace was able to be within a straight involving the king sometimes, and the two other times.

"If the ace is much better than the king," Erik questioned. "Why would he associate with the two? The two is the lowest card and I would not think that-"

"Okay, I'm done with cards," Cali said, having a tenth of my own patience. She stood. "I'm gonna go grab dinner, what do you guys want?"

We sent her and Jamie out to get some Ponyta's Place, which they brought back promptly. I had finally convinced Erik that it was acceptable for the ace to associate with the two and the king, because 'a good ruler should associate with all kinds of people.' We ate in the kitchen, our pokemon in the sitting room once again. I had just started to put my first bite in my mouth when.

"BRRRZZZT." A buzzer went off in the speakers on the ceiling. "ALLORA SILVERFIELD, YOU HAVE A DELIVERY WAITING FOR YOU AT THE HELP DESK."

The noise had scared the crap out of me, and I fell sideways out of my chair, thank goodness on my right side. Erik helped me up, and fetched my crutches so I could make my way downstairs.

A single, plain red and white pokeball was waiting for me downstairs. It looked brand new. I thanked the clerk, who had retrieved it from the transfer box, and took the ball from her hand. I handed it to Erik, so I could get back upstairs without falling. I shuddered to think what I would have done in my condition had the pokemon center only had a staircase.

Thank goodness for the elevator.


	26. Celebrate!

**This chapter is in honor of Mewtwo's birthday, which is February 6.**

* * *

><p>Upstairs again, all of us gathered in a semi-circle, some on the couch, most on the floor. Jamie and Cali had released their pokemon to join mine, and all were eager to meet their new friend and teammate. Erik and I sat on the couch, in the middle of the U shaped structure. On my right were Sunny and Noche, Who were squabbling over who would get to sit right next to me. Eventually they decided on sitting on my lap.<p>

My other pokemon were on the floor in front of me. Diamond had her full length lying on the ground like a snake, curved around the inside edge of the couch, with Icarus and Glitter perched on her scaly body near her head. Sam and Flare were sitting near Diamond's tail, with Sam watching Flare's tail flame intently as she waved her tail happily back and forth.

Star sat behind the couch, being tall enough to see over it, as well as Spike; the nidoking. Jamie's other three, Vuela, Verde, and Crash the manectric, were seated on the couch beside him and Cali. He was holding little Azul in his arms, the tiny horsea fast asleep. Articuno sat on the end of the couch, the only one who was not chatting excitedly.

I tossed the pokeball between my hands, waiting for the excitement to quell before releasing Aberforth into the middle of it all. The chattering died down, as anticipation began to take over. Once I felt it had quieted down enough, I nodded.

"You can come out," I said, tossing the ball onto the floor in front of us. The light flashed, and once my eyes adjusted, I took in our new friend.

It was a wartortle, and this made me very excited. Wartortle were very rare pokemon, given away only in their first stage of a squirtle as starters in the Kanto school systems. It made sense that Oak would have one, as squirtle was one of the three pokemon he used to give away before the schools took over giving pokemon to beginning trainers, along with charmander and bulbasaur of course.

I stood carefully and hitched over towards him. The tips of his ears reached about to my hips (leaning over on crutches of course.) His skin was a light blue color. But, there was something more interesting about this particular pokemon. His shell... it was green. Every squirtle or evolved form of such that I had seen had a brown shell. Which meant...

"You're shiny," was the first thing I said to him, awed.

He bowed towards me, then did something that shocked me even more. "Yes, my lady. Henceforth, I am in thy service," he said in a thick, english accent. I did a double take.

"You... you're... talking?" I said shocked. It was one thing for legendaries to talk, but... what?

"Yes, my lady. I have stayed on this earth for many, many years, and I have been graced enough to educate myself on the language of humans. Pray pardon me, but wherefore art thou bewitched, my lady?"

Struggling to remember my lessons in Shakespearean english, (granted it took me a few seconds,) I realized he was asking me why I looked shocked. "Um... It is just shocking to see a pokemon that can talk..."

"Methinks I am greatly more educated than most pokemon," he said matter of factly. I swallowed, only able to nod my head and agree.

Erik couldn't wait any longer. "Fascinating!" he exclaimed. "As legendaries we are naturally able to understand and communicate in all languages, but you, as a regular pokemon, that is amazing!" He reached his hand out, attempting to poke Aberforth in every crevice, and appeared more so to be trying to feel him up.

"Erik!" I exclaimed, trying my hardest to keep him from violating poor Aberforth. The wartortle looked genuinely happy, not at all freaked out about Erik's sudden touchy-feely outburst.

He glanced over at my dragonair, and smiled broadly. "Ah, Diamond, it has been war tortle wartortle." In the middle of his sentence, he switched back into speaking like we all thought he should, granted with a slight accent. He was addressing Diamond, who raised her head slightly, and hummed a response. The two touched foreheads, and closed their eyes. It was touching, but I was still too baffled to focus on anything but the fact that I had a talking wartortle.

And on holding Erik back. "It's inappropriate to grope him!" I growled, trying my best to contain him, on my crutches. It didn't work very well, and I ended up falling on my ass. At least that got Erik to stop, however, because then he was more concerned then about if I was feeling okay than molesting my new pokemon.

Aberforth nodded as Diamond spoke to him. She seemed to be introducing the crew to him, and she became more animated and excited the more she hummed. She was acting in a way I had never seen, almost playful. It was a nice change from her calm and collected self. My other pokemon introduced themselves in turn, and when they were finished, Aberforth turned to Erik.

"Mewtwo," he said, trying out the word. "Methinks thou did not exist when I was younger. Thou art new to this world, art thou not?"

Erik looked at me, then back at Aberforth. "What is he saying? I have never created any forms of art," he whispered. I face palmed.

"You need to read some Shakespeare," I mumbled. "He is asking if you were recently created. If you are a new pokemon." I elaborated. He nodded, understanding.

"I was created twenty years ago..." he looked into the distance... then his eyes widened. "Twenty years ago today."

"It's your birthday?" Cali exclaimed. He looked at her confused.

"Birthday?"

Even I was excited. "You are twenty years old today!" I exclaimed. "We have to throw a party! Get a cake!" All of my shock and awe about Aberforth was out the window now that I had realized it was Erik's birthday.

"Cake?" he asked. "Cake... I don't know what cake is..." He looked completely confused. "Why must I get a cake on the anniversary of my creation day?"

"Oh my Arceus," I moaned. I didn't bother explaining. "Cali, we should hurry and get to the market and buy a cake before they close down!"

Erik looked hurt. "Can I not accompany you?"

"You aren't allowed to see what we get! It's a surprise." I quickly grabbed my pokeballs, returning everyone but Aberforth and Diamond, who were still locked in conversation. "Do you guys just want to stay?"

Diamond nodded. "If it doesn't inconvenience you, my lady," asked Aberforth politely. I nodded as well, hurrying to get my purse.

Jamie ended up tagging along, and the three of us left the pokemon center just as the sun was starting to go down. It was chilly outside, as it was nearing the end of the summer. Articuno and Erik had stayed with Aberforth and Diamond, locked in intriguing conversation, half of which was in a language that none of us could understand.

The bakery wasn't too far from the pokemon center. It was a small building, similar in size to the privately owned boutiques where Erik and I had shopped a few days before. Above the doorway was a red and blue canopy, with a pidgy nest in one corner. A bell chimed as we opened the door and stepped inside. I leaned on my crutches and looked around.

It was empty as far as I could see, except for an aipom happily using its tail to stir a bowl of something cream colored and thick. It smelled amazing, like the air was filled with sugar. We approached the counter, and a big, round man came out from the back, which I assumed was the kitchen.

"Pa!' said the aipom in greeting, pausing in its stirring and leaping to the shoulder of the baker.

"Ho ho ho!" he laughed, big and jolly. Santa? I thought, giggling to myself.

"What can I do for you kiddos?" he said, voice thick, and slightly slurring. I snorted to myself again. He came around to the register, leaning on the counter with his belly protruding over onto the marble.

"Thank goodness you aren't closed!" Cali practically sprinted over to the glass case beside the counter, filled with cakes of all shapes and sizes. Some of the cakes were already decorated, with flowers and swirls make of icing. And some of them weren't already iced, with just the cake itself on the plate, displaying the wide variety of flavors.

The baker laughed another hearty laugh, hiccuping a little as he did so. I approached the register, and the sweet smell of the bakery began to mix with the distinct smell of bourbon. I grinned broadly, being a bit of a bourbon snob myself. My family, in the basement of the breeders farm, kept an extensive wine and bourbon collection in a fancy-looking cellar, only to be drank on special occasions.

"Jim Beam or Wild Turkey?" I asked, trying to guess. He smiled mischievously, with the aipom jumping from his shoulder to the counter.

"Jim Beam of course," he stated, grinning from ear to ear. "Do I look like I have no taste to you?"

"This one!" squealed Cali from my left. I glanced over, and she was jumping up and down on her toes, pointing into the glass case containing the different flavors of cakes. I walked over, to find her pointing at a reddish colored cake, with no icing.

"It's red velvet!" she squeaked, doing a happy dance. "Erik will love it!"

"Will he?" The cake was medium sized, and in the section called 'cream filling.' "What kind of icing is in here?"

"Cream cheese icing, ma'am," slurred the jolly baker. He swayed over towards us, still smiling. "I'd be glad to ice it up however you'd like."

So that's how the three of us ended up sitting in a bakery, waiting for a drunk baker to ice us a cake. Jamie and Cali played the hand-slap game while we waited. Jamie would put his hands under Cali's, without touching, and he would suddenly flip them up, trying to slap the tops of Cali's hands while Cali would try to pull her hands back before he got the chance. He was winning more times than not, but it didn't seem to bother Cali one bit. She would get too excited each time she managed to land a hit of her own when it was her turn.

I had released Noche and Sunny from their respective pokeballs, and they were sitting at my feet, talking quietly to each other. I was absentmindedly scratching Noche behind the ears as I waited. We had instructed the baker to use purple icing, and that the name of the birthday-boy was Erik, but otherwise I had no idea what he was going to do to that cake.

"Ow!" Cali squealed from excitement again, as Jamie slapped the tops of her hands. I switched from scratching Noche to Sunny. He gave me a disdainful look.

"It can't always be your turn," I laughed. I ended up using both hands to scratch them both at the same time. They were both happy after that.

Finally, the baker came out of the back room, box in hand. I quickly stood and ran to get it from him, in case in his drunken state he were to drop it. I took it to the table and opened the lid. Inside was a purple iced cake, that said "Happy Birthday Erik!" on the top, in a pretty white cursive writing. But the coolest was the rest of the decoration. In a glittery black chocolate icing, he had done sparkles and swirls all over the cake. It was very fitting for a psychic type.

"Thank you so much!" I said, and walked up to the register to pay him. "How much...?"

"For you, and your knowledge of bourbon," he slurred. "Imma say free."

"Free?" I questioned. "No that's not right, here take-"

"Nonsense!" he boomed. "I have plenty of money, and you kiddos need to save yours for what really matters. Go on and have fun!" He motioned his hands in a 'shooing' motion towards the door. "Take these candles with you!"

I thanked him excessively, along with Cali and Jamie, high-fived the aipom, and headed out to the street. Jamie carried the cake, because there was no way I could on my crutches, and frankly I didn't trust Cali's coordination enough to trust her to carry it.

It was nearly dark when we reached the pokemon center again. We were chatting about how nice (and drunk, clearly drunk) the baker man had been as we came up the elevator. Aberforth and Diamond were still talking animatedly when we entered, both now on the couch, with Diamond's long azure body draped nearly around the entire length of the U shape.

Articuno came out of the kitchen when she heard the door open. I waddled in, followed by Cali and Jamie. "You're back!" she said, hesitantly but excited.

I eyed her, puzzled. "Yes?" I said, half asking.

She sighed. "Erik... cooked," was all she said. My eyes widened. I slowly made my way to the kitchen.

A cookbook was open on the counter, and Erik's pokell was glowing next to it. There were some plates on the table, with spaghetti. I ignored those for a moment, and looked at the recipe in the cookbook. It was for a pasta with red sauce. And on his pokell he had searched 'foods that please the taste buds of humans.' I resisted the urge to face palm, and looked over at the table again.

The plates had spaghetti, and on top of each was the strangest mixture of ingredients I had ever seen. There was the red sauce... and also a brown sauce, some M&Ms, graham crackers, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, and white sauce drizzled around the outside. It was beautifully crafted, with the sauces drizzled over the noodles in swirling patterns, the graham crackers artfully placed, and the M&Ms evenly spaced. It appeared as if Erik had also looked up how to set plates in restaurants.

"Allora!" came from behind me. I turned, to find Erik beaming at me. "Allora I cooked dinner for my creation day!" He was more excited than a five year old who had gotten a gold star. I couldn't help but smile.

"Y- yes," I said, trying not to laugh. "It looks... great!"

"Oh! I looked up human birthday rituals, and so we can eat the cake after?" he asked, eyes still shining with excitement.

"Yes Erik," I said, giggling a little bit. Cali and Jamie came in behind him, and Erik walked past me towards the refrigerator. I made a cut-throat gesture at them, indicating not to say anything to him about his little experiment. It would crush his heart. And it was his birthday after all.

We all sat around the table. I instructed Sunny and Noche to go to the living room and inform Aberforth of the Rocket situation, if Diamond hadn't already. We sat, and I noticed that Erik had set the table perfectly, as if we were eating in a 5 star restaurant. Remembering the connection that Erik and I had, I made sure to keep my emotions full of anticipation and pride. His emotions were overflowing into my own head, of being super excited and nervous. They reacted with my own, making me feel just as excited.

Once we were all ready, we... all just stared at each other. I didn't want the awkward silence to continue, so I decided to take the first bite... of the worst thing I had ever tasted. I resisted the urge to gag, and it took all my willpower, and even more of it to project my thoughts about it in a positive way, so Erik couldn't tell I was faking. I gestured pleasantly to Cali and Jamie, giving them a look. They took bites, and had different reactions.

Cali swallowed hers quickly, said "This is really good!" and took a giant drink of water. Jamie, however, continued to shovel it in his mouth with wide eyes. "This is awesome, Erik!" he exclaimed. Erik beamed.

Then, he took a bite for himself. He frowned as he chewed, staring at his fork, and then back and the spaghetti. "Why does this taste so... awful?" he asked me. "Are we eating different things?" He leaned over my plate, observing my food.

"Ha ha, nope, ha ha." Now I had a choice. Do I tell Erik that it tastes like shit, or do I keep with the facade? "Maybe you just don't like one of the ingredients you put in?" Keep with the facade.

"Arceus," he swore. "I looked up different foods that are pleasing to the human taste buds, and combining many flavors that stimulate all of the different taste buds should, according to science, be the most appealing but this..." he eyed his plate. "This is terrible."

Cali put down her fork and smiled at him. "I agree, Erik, I don't like it either."

Articuno hadn't even tried it, but she used this as her way out. "I'm... not very hungry."

I stuffed one more bite into my mouth. I received a mushroom covered in what I had guessed was a mix of red spaghetti sauce, ranch dressing, and chocolate syrup. I chewed gingerly and swallowed hard. "I'm full... and I want to save room for cake," I elaborated, trying not to gag.

"This is amazing, do you have any more?" Jamie said from across the table. We looked at him incredulously. His plate was clean, and he was licking his fork. Erik shook his head back and forth slowly.

"Oh... Cali, do you mind if I have yours?" he asked hopefully. She looked at him like he was crazy.

"... Sure?" she said. He grabbed her plate and started shoveling her pasta (if it could be called that) into his mouth. We stared at him, gaping, as he inhaled the concoction, cleaning another plate in no time flat.

"I'll... get the cake," Cali said, covering her mouth as if she were trying not to gag. She stood from the table and walked to the counter, grabbing the cake and candles.

She walked back and placed it on the table, still eying Jamie. He had nearly finished his second plate, and was watching the cake. She shook her head to herself, placing twenty candles on the cake as she did so,

She finished and sat back down, letting Erik admire her work. I reached over to the wall, and hit the light switch for effect. Jamie had finally finished eating, and was watching as well. It was already dark outside, making the only light entering the room the light from the living room where the pokemon were talking.

I held up my hand as Cali went to light the candles, and stood to beckon over my pokemon. They crowded in the doorway in just a few seconds. I released Icarus and Glitter as well. Jamie and Cali also released their own. The kitchen was not quite big enough for this, and so the bigger pokemon organized themselves in the doorway behind the rest. It looked like they were posing for a photo. They noisily and excitedly chattered to themselves.

I laughed and nodded to Cali, who took the matches and lit a few candles. After the first two, the match burned out... the second match only lit two... and eventually she got frustrated. She called over Flare, who hopped onto her lap and swished her flaming tail over the candles, lighting them all efficiently.

Everyone eventually quieted down, as Erik stared at the candles. He looked deep in thought. "I simply blow outward?" he asked. I nodded smiling.

"Wait first!" I stood, and then... "Happy birthday to you~" I sang.

"Happy birthday to you~" Cali and Jamie said in chorus.

"Umbre umbre~"

"Flareon~"

"Mewtwo~" Articuno laughed.

"Happy birthday to you~" we all chorused.

"Char!"

"Ivysaur!"

"Pix vulpix!"

"Nidoking!"

"Happy birthday my good sir! With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come," philosophized Aberforth. Erik smiled at him, clearly only understanding half of what he said.

He leaned over the cake, and blew... and blew... and blew out two candles, which quickly caught fire once more due to the blazing of the rest around them. Erik tried again, this time blowing harder, and spraying more spit out of his mouth than air. He blew the candles out though, and we all clapped... less than excited now to eat the cake.

Erik was once again ecstatic. "I did it!" he cheered. "I blew them out!"

"Yes... you did!" I acted excited, once again shielding my emotions so he wouldn't know I was really wondering how much saliva was on the icing.

He jumped up and grabbed a knife, handing it to me excitedly. "I want to try cake!"

I sighed, coughing to cover it up when I remembered I was supposed to be excited. "Okay!" I began to cut the cake, slicing five good sized pieces for us, and dicing the rest up smaller so the pokemon on the ground could at least try it. They had no complaints, saliva or no.

Erik took the first bite, after tasting it then showing the rest in almost whole in his second bite. I snorted, giggling as I watched him eat in his excitement.

"Mrfs ers gurt," he mumbled through a mouth-full of purple and red.

"What?"

"This efs goord," he said after swallowing a little more. I nodded, getting what he was trying to say. He eyed me expectantly, and I swallowed.

It was all in my head of course. I couldn't taste anything different once I started eating the cake, but the girly part of me wouldn't stop screaming 'Ew gross!' in the back of my head.

But besides the maybe-there, maybe-not saliva on the cake, it was pretty delicious. 


	27. Family

Two days later, our time in the free suite had run out. I had debated staying an extra day and paying for it, but not after I heard the prices.

"Wow," I said, eyes widening as I glanced over what would have been the bill. "Yeah, I think we will be on our way."

We didn't have much to gather from our rooms. I had done all of the laundry, folded it, and packed it back up while Jamie and Cali had gone into town to grab some extra food for the road. The day before we had gone into town together to get Erik some more clothes, because I discovered that he only had three different shirts, and one pair of pants.

And so, our bags freshly packed, our food restocked, our spirits high, we left the pokemon center. Aberforth had requested to remain outside of his pokeball so he could see how the modern world had changed. He accompanied us as we walked, stopping at the hospital before heading south.

"It looks like your leg has been healing surprisingly fast, Ms. Silverfield," the doctor said, bemused. I consciously reminded myself not to say anything about Erik and his healing touch. "You can come off of the crutches, but I still want you wearing the boot to keep it set. You'll need to keep it on for the next two weeks or so… Where did you say you were headed?"

"Saffron City, sir," I said, watching as he felt my fibula for movement. "We're passing through to Vermillion so I can battle the third gym."

He nodded to himself. "Well, I'll send your information to the hospitals in each city, just in case. But make sure you stop for a check in at the Saffron clinic, just to see how your leg is healing."

We thanked the doctor and headed back out, with me worrying exactly how I was going to explain to the Saffron doctor that my leg had healed in two days… not two weeks.

"Would you like me to stop aiding the healing process?" Erik wondered, worriedly eying my leg. I shook my head quickly.

"No, I want out of this thing as soon as possible," I explained. "I guess their just going to have to chalk it up to a 'medical miracle' or something."

Aberforth waddled beside me as we walked, nearing the end of the asphalt road and the city limits of Cerulean. "What material art thy leg encased in?" he asked. "Doth thou not use sticks and twine in this day to set thine bones?" The Shakespearian… I had to think a little extra to decipher what he was trying to say.

"No, Aberforth," I explained, waddling in synch with him on my casted leg. "This is plastic, and this is called a cast." I pointed to the wretched thing. "And it's hot and uncomfortable and I want it off my leg as soon as I can. That's why Erik is helping me heal faster." I sighed, grumpy. "I just don't want to have to explain that my traveling companion is Mewtwo."

Cali laughed, swinging Jamies hand. "Or Articuno," she grinned. A crisp breeze blew her hair from her face.

"Or, that you're on your way to stop Team Rocket," Jamie joined in. "They might lock you in a psych ward for that, Al, and then a cast will be the least of your worries."

I smiled, lacing my fingers with Erik's absentmindedly. "Yeah, they're just going to have to accept that it's some kind of miracle."

Eventually, we passed out of the city limits, heading south on a now dirt path. The day was beautiful, if slightly chilly. In the sunlight it was perfect, but the shady parts with that breeze caused me to shiver. Erik grasped my hand tighter, and I smiled.

The path took us through the woods, and past a seemingly endless stretch of ledges. Staying on the path was the best option, for I don't think I could have jumped those ledges if I had tried, with my cast and all. Luckily the path was made for people like me, and we trudged on.

Getting closer to dinner, we passed an old wooden sign that looked like it had been pegged into the ground years ago. Painted on the front was what looked like an advertisement. "Family Style Dinners and Pokemon Daycare Ahead! Come on in and Stay Awhile!" I glanced from Cali, to Jamie, to Articuno, and to Erik, who all continued to stare at the sign in silence.

Jamie was the first to break it. "Family style dinner?" he asked breathlessly, disbelieving. I could almost see the drool dribbling out of his mouth. "What are you guys waiting for!" And with that, he sprinted down the path, leaving us in the dust, including Cali.

"Ugh, come _on _Jamie," she groaned, stomping after him. "You better wait for me!" she called, but I'm pretty sure he was out of earshot by the time she started following him.

Articuno, Erik, and I laughed as we watched her sprint after him ("_JAMIE!__"__) _"He's gonna get it," I laughed, smirking. Erik smiled, but that quickly faded to a frown. I watched him, concerned. "What's wrong, Erik?"

He scrunched up his eyebrows, thinking. "Allora," he said slowly. "I don't believe I know what the difference is between a 'family style' dinner, and a regular one?" At the words 'family style,' he did air quotation marks with his pointer and middle fingers, something he had picked up from Jamie. I beamed, proud.

"Perchance, art they the same?" mused Aberforth. "Methinks I hath never tasted a family dinner." Articuno nodded her head in agreement. My Arceus it was like dealing with five year olds.

"No, guys," I explained. "Family style is just how you eat the dinner, and the kind of food. Like… you have mashed potatoes and corn and some sort of carved meat, and a cheri berry pie or something. And everyone sits around the table, and passes the dishes around so everyone gets a taste of everything. It represents unity, like being a family." I blinked, not realizing tears were coming into my eyes. _I miss home__…_

Erik felt my sadness, and his grip on my hand tightened. _I miss my family too, _I heard inside my head. _Which is why I must save them. _Looking at Articuno's expression, I could tell she missed her family too. At least _my _family was still alive. They didn't even know if their family members had died yet. If they had come all this way for nothing…

Rounding the bend, we reached an old cottage with a wooden fence outlining a large yard. Jamie was standing at the porch, head hung low, being scolded by Cali's wagging finger. "- leave me behind like that!" was all I caught as we approached the house. Jamie sighed, and seeing us, turned and knocked on the door. We reached the steps just as the door was answered.

It creaked open, cracking just a bit, and an old woman's face peered through the slit. "Yes?" she asked in a quiet voice. Something about her mannerisms stopped Jamie in his tracks.

"I… uh… we…" he stammered, just looking into her grey eyes. Her sad, big eyes…"

"We're here for the dinner?" Cali said softly, questioning. The woman sighed, opening the door a little wider so we could see her. She had pale, wrinkled skin, and a light brown hair that curled from the roots to the tips. She looked fit and healthy, but had the saddest grey eyes…

"We don't do dinner here anymore," she explained, avoiding eye contact with us, as if she were ashamed. "We stopped dinner a week ago. And we won't be starting it back up." She looked down at her feet.

I was confused. "But… why did you stop dinner?" I asked. The look she gave me immediately had me feeling intrusive. "I… well I mean… I'm only wondering…"

I was shocked to see tears coming down from her eyes. "We can't do dinner anymore," she said softly, eyes glistening with water. "Only I can do dinner. He can't, not anymore." Instantly I felt guilty, but I had done it. So I needed to fix it.

"Ma'am, please don't cry," I said, trying to sound soothing, and ending up sounding like a squeaky tire. She cried a little harder. _Shit. _"Can we come inside?" I asked desperately. "Maybe we can help?" She just nodded, stepping out of the way and letting us in. Cali thumped me in the arm as I passed, scolding.

And that's how we met Edna, the daycare lady. Apparently, the week before, her husband Elmer had passed away. She said they had known it was coming, for cancer is a merciless disease. But that didn't make it any easier on her. "Living here alone is killing me," she said, once she had calmed down. "I don't want to be that wife that couldn't survive more than a month without her husband, but I fear that is what I am becoming."

I sat beside her, holding her hands in my own. Erik was watching me, confused, but held his tongue. He could feel how upset I was, I believe that is why. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Edna," I said sincerely. She just nodded.

"And I would feel even more guilty if I couldn't take care of the pokemon, and that's why I'm shutting down the daycare," she said with finality. I was startled.

"But… this is the most famous daycare in Kanto!" I said, shocked. I recomposed myself. "I mean to say… there's no way you could keep it in business? Hire some younger hands to help you out?"

She stared at the wall in front of her. "Without Elmer… I don't see the point anymore." She looked out the window. "I haven't taken any new customers, and nearly all of the pokemon have been returned. Except for those two." She nodded her head in the direction of the window. I turned to look.

A houndour and furret were huddled together under a tree, sleeping. "I'm almost positive those pokemon were abandoned here by their trainer," she said sadly, watching them. "They've been here for months, much longer than any other pokemon I have watched. I don't know how much longer I can remain open for their sake… If I died, who would they have?" She sighed deeply. "I will think about your proposal to keep the daycare open, but it must close first. I have to have some time to myself… to visit other family members. But I haven't been able to leave the daycare to see anyone else because of these two."

"You mean… you've been alone in this house since he died?" Cali asked quietly. Edna nodded. Aberforth and Articuno looked down sadly.

"Yes," she said. "My family is in Johto, but I can't leave these two pokemon here to be abandoned a second time." Her eyes watered again. "Without pokemon of my own, I've been here by myself. I buried him alone." She began to sob silently. We all stared in horror. Having never lost a family member myself, this was an eye opener to me. _Is this what it__'__s like to lose those closest to you?_

"You need to see your family," Cali said finally, standing up. "Any trainer who abandons their pokemon doesn't deserve them. I'll take those pokmeon off your hands ma'am, so you can get to Johto." She stepped out from the table, heading towards the back door.

"Cali!" Jamie said, following her.

"Are you quite sure?" Edna said, unable to hide the relief in her voice. "I want to take care of them, I do… but I need to care for myself first."

"Yes, you do," I said honestly. Though I didn't necessarily agree with Cali's decision to take on pre-trained pokemon, I knew she was doing the right thing. She was doing what she felt would help the situation the most.

Looking out the window, I saw her kneel in front of the sleeping pair, talking to them and waking them slightly. Jamie came up behind her, watching. They watched her, and even let her pet them. Then, they stood, and followed her inside, Jamie included.

"These poor things," she said when she came back in. And she was right. The sadness seemed to radiate off of them. "When's the last time they interacted with anyone but themselves?"

Edna turned in her chair to watch them, a soft smile creeping onto her lips. "I interact with them every day, but they isolate themselves from the other pokemon. I'm not sure when the last time I've seen them play, or battle, or smile…"

"It's settled then," she decided. "Jamie will take the furret, and I will take the houndour." _She picked the fire type? Shocker._

"Wait, what?" Jamie said, clearly not having been in on this plan. "Since when?"

"Since now." Jamie gave her a look, and she sighed. "What Jamie, you're going to turn away that little face?" Grimacing, Jamie looked at the turret. With the saddest, biggest, anime glistening eyes, the furry pokemon stared back.

Jamie groaned. "Okay, okay, fine. You're right, they need someone." Cali giggled and clapped her hands together.

"Good!" She turned to Edna. "Where are their pokeballs."

"Their trainer has them. The only way you can truly tell if they have been abandoned is if they can be recaptured in another pokeball…" she looked them over sadly. "You're going to have to see."

It wasn't a shock when the houndour was sucked right in and the ball almost immediately clicked. It disgusted me, that someone could just drop off their trusted friends and partners like that, and just _abandon _them like they were nothing. The same happened with the turret, and Jamie and Cali had bittersweetly acquired two new pokemon.

Edna simply couldn't stop thanking them as we started to leave. "You have made it so much easier for me to be happy," she said, holding Cali's arm. "I will be on the first plane to Johto in the morning to see my children." She looked us all over, a real smile coming on to her face. "And, perhaps I should look into getting a few pokemon of my own to help run the daycare when I get back."

I beamed at her, ear to ear. "That sounds perfect!" I said, happy that she wasn't giving up on her life just yet.

She nodded, getting serious, and better than we had seen her since we arrived. "Now, how about that family style dinner?"


	28. Saffron City

"Saffron City!" Cali cried as we crested the last hill, looking down at the sparkling buildings below. It was the end of our second day walking from Cerulean, a full day since our dinner with Edna. We marched down the hill, letting gravity lead our footfalls, our exhausted steps yearning for a pokemon center bed.

The evening was cool and dry, the sky clear and full of stars that disappeared the closer we got to the city. I grasped Erik's hand in my own, watching as Cali and Jamie pushed farther ahead. Articuno had been deep in thought it seemed for hours, and she tread quietly behind us, her weavile padding softly beside her. Every now and then, it would give her a worried look, which she did not even seem to notice.

I frowned, walking, my thoughts betraying me. "What's wrong?" Erik questioned quietly, looking into my eyes. I shrugged, looking back at Articuno again. Her stare was vacant at the dirt road.

"I can't imagine how she feels, I guess," I said, turning back towards the city. Cali and Jamie were waiting in front of us at the city limits, locked in an embrace. I smiled a bit, but it didn't last long, as my thoughts drifted back to Articuno. "There has to be some way to cheer her up."

Erik thought, and I felt his mind wander. I had gotten used to feeling its presence, and being able to sense how he felt. I could tell he was genuinely worried. "We could…" he frowned, frustrated. "I don't really know." Then, his eyes brightened. "Can we make her a cake?" he asked excitedly.

I stared at him, blankly. "Really?" I said after a bit, and he frowned.

"But… cake made me happy…" he said, looking down again. "I don't know enough about Articuno's likes and dislikes to judge what she might enjoy." He became quiet again.

The city was still bustling that friday night, with young people out on the streets laughing and drinking as if it were still daytime. It was already ten, yet it seemed much earlier on the town. We passed tall buildings, searching for the pokemon center. The signs were leading us towards central square, where they said the pokemon center was located. The center was supposed to be even bigger than the one in Cerulean.

Suddenly, Cali pulled at my arm. "Al!" she said, gesturing to the left. "Look!"

Passing a building revealed a large entertainment area, with a movie theater, an arcade, and… "An ice skating rink?" I questioned to myself.

Cali frowned. "No, silly, the theater!"

"I thought you were excited about the arcade," Jamie mused, smiling. Cali punched him in the arm.

"No, I'm not a nerd like you," she huffed, poking him in the side.

I, however, was still caught up on the skating rink. "Ice… skating…" I murmured. Erik looked at me.

"What are you thinking…." he said. I grinned.

"I think I know what we're doing tonight."

* * *

><p>"Al I'm <em>tired!<em>_" _Cali whined, dragging her feet to the reception desk.

"Hello! Are you guys here to check out some skates?" the friendly woman at behind the counter said, smiling broadly at Jamie, and eying Cali's tired, dragging legs.

"I guess," she muttered, and gave the woman her shoe size.

I walked in behind the two with Articuno. "Ice… skating?" she said, looking around. "How is there ice in the summer heat?" she wondered.

"It's inside, silly, in the air conditioning." Her eyes widened in awe.

"So… they keep it cold?" she said, becoming excited. Then, we passed the window of the skating rink.

It was a nice facility, really, with artificial snow even falling from the 'sky.' Articuno pressed her face against the glass, like a child at a candy store.

"It is snow!" she said, nearly in tears for reasons I couldn't tell you. Then, she sprinted for the door.

"Wait-" But she was already on the ice, walking on it as if she were on solid ground.

I sighed, opening the glass door into the skating rink. "Arti… erm… hey!" I said. She really needed a regular name. "You need skates first!"

She turned her head, brushing her long blue hair from her eyes. Artificial snowflakes seemed to be swirling around her, and her hair was dusted in them. "Skates?" she asked, coming back towards the door.

"I'll show you," I said.

It wasn't much later that the five of us were all out on the ice, our pokemon being returned, skating around like idiots. Articuno might as well have been a figure skater, seeming to fly across the ice. She would jump and spin, landing tricks that I had never seen before.

Cali and Jamie were doing okay, holding each other's hands (and the wall) as they inched across the ice. They seemed to get it eventually, being able to let go of their safety and skate around… slowly but surely.

I loved ice skating when I was a kid, and so getting back on the ice for me was easy. I could normally skate as well as I could walk, but with my injured leg, it wasn't going as well. My leg had healed up enough to where I could wear skates but… it still wasn't quite enough. I was reduced to using one leg to push myself, and kind of limping on the ice. But even then, it was Erik who was having the most trouble.

"Why must we walk on ice when it is slippery?" he asked, eyes widening as he slipped once again, nearly doing the splits. "And on such shoes with little surface area for walking!"

I smiled, skating backwards in front of him. The backwards motion was actually easier on my injured leg. "The blades on the shoes help you glide…" I tried to explain, grabbing his hands and trying to pull him. His legs were locked, his butt pushed out behind him, bending at a right angle and stiffening up. I pulled him along like a little kid.

"But… why is this something that humans enjoy doing?" he said, squinting his eyes shut as he slipped yet again. "This is extremely dangerous, and hardly… _fun!__" _ He began slowly lowering himself onto the ice, bending his knees.

"Wait…. what… why?" I said, trying to hold him up. But it was no use, and soon he was sitting with his butt on the ice, arms crossed like a five year old.

"And it's _cold!__" _he complained. I sighed, standing there helpless as people skated by, watching the purple haired boy sitting on the ground throwing a tantrum. "I refuse to injure my only human form!"

"Oh, come on," I said. But he wouldn't budge. "Well, you can't sit here!" I said, pulling on him again.

He huffed. "I suppose." And so began the struggle of trying to get Erik to stand up. And it wasn't working. "Um… Allora?" he said after several minutes of tugging and pulling and slipping and falling. My ankle wasn't helping the situation. "I don't think I can stand."

"Oh good Arceus," I moaned, looking around for some help. I could see Jamie and Cali coming down the stretch, but gave that a second thought. They weren't so good on the ice themselves, and I didn't want a dog pile of bodies on the ice.

Then, I saw Articuno speed racing around the circle. "Hey…" I stopped myself from shouting the legendary pokemon's name. "Hey!" I waved my hands until she stopped. "Help me pick him up."

"What's the matter?" she questioned, breathing fast and grinning. "Can't handle a little cold?"

"No, it is not that," Erik said, indignant. "I just don't like purposefully putting myself in danger over this silly human hobby. Furthermore it is slippery and strenuous to…" And he went on and on and on, complaining even as we got him up off the ice finally and escorted him to the edge. He immediately took off his skates and went and sat on the edge of the rink on the bleachers.

I skated one more circle before I realized that maybe skating with a bum ankle wasn't the best idea. I went and sat next to Erik, taking off my own skates, and putting my cast back on. He was sitting silently, his thoughts guarded from me for the first time in days. I couldn't understand what was wrong.

"I don't like being unable to accomplish something," he said finally. I looked at him, but his eyes were trained unwaveringly at the ice rink.

"Erik… it's ice skating. It's not the end of the world," I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. But he did not move, and his thoughts did not reveal themselves.

"I don't like not being able to do something for myself," he said, turning to look at me. "Because then how can I do things for others?"

I didn't have an answer to that.

We left the skating rink close to midnight, with Cali seemingly having forgotten her exhaustion from earlier. Articuno was looking much happier, a smile painted on her face.

"Can we go see a movie?" Cali asked, sprinting in front of me, then walking backwards as we made our way down the street.

"No," I said bluntly. Erik and I were the only ones who seemed tired at all.

"Well… arcade?" she begged.

"No!" She looked a little hurt by my outburst. "I mean…. you can go. I'm tired. I'm getting us a room at the center with Erik."

"Okay…" she said, unsure, but took Jamie's hand and led him away from our group.

"What… is an arcade?" Articuno asked, following them. And Cali began to explain energetically as they marched towards the blinking lights and techno music. The city was alive.

But I felt dead. "Come on, let's go," I yawned, turning and heading back towards the center. Erik still hadn't spoken, but I was too tired to ask what was wrong.

Nurse Joy handed us a set of keys for a two bedroom room. Articuno had already said she would spend her nights in the forest, and the two bedroom format was cheapest and would work the best for our group. The four of us had divided into couples somewhere in that journey, big shocker, but sleeping in our pairs had started to become automatic.

I plopped down on the bed as soon as I got in the bedroom. My head drooped towards the floor, my blonde curls covering my face. I could have fallen asleep like that, but I needed to change.

I took my backpack off, taking out my pajamas, and sending the rest of my clothes down the laundry shoot. Pokemon trainers often only carry three outfits, and a pair of sleeping clothes within in their bags. Pokemon centers almost always offered free laundry services for trainers. You simply toss your clothes down the shoot at night, the chansey do your laundry, and in the morning it is folded and placed in front of your bedroom door.

I slipped my pajamas on, climbing into bed next to Erik, who had already laid down under the covers. He wasn't all here, though his thoughts were still more open. And they were full of sadness. I snuggled up to his chest, with his arm around me. We stared ahead silently, me comforting him with warm feelings and thoughts.

"I never could understand crying," he said after a while. I looked up, seeing his cheeks wet, his eyes glassy. I sat up a bit as he continued. "Why would human anatomy cause one to emit tears as a byproduct of sadness? It blurs your vision, and is quite moist."

Normally, I would have rolled my eyes at his overly scientific analysis, but that wouldn't have felt right. "My mom says that it's our way of washing the sadness out of our bodies. That the tears carry the feelings with them… it's a method of release." We sat quietly again, listening to the sounds of the city. A police siren in wailed in the distance.

Erik sighed then, his chest moving up and down, and my head as well. "I'm sorry for being so upset," he began. "I just don't want anything to happen to any of you. After what happened to Mew, and then, almost to myself…" He shuddered. "I don't know what I would do if that happened to you guys. To you…"

His mental walls came down suddenly, and a swamp of emotions hit me. Such care and sadness and years of loneliness. But then joy and… and… _Allora, I love you,_ I heard in my mind.

"I… I love you too," I said, sitting up and looking him in the eyes. He kissed me softly, his hand on my cheek. I could feel his absolute unwavering feelings for me, and these intensified as we kissed. I was so overwhelmed I felt like I needed to cry, but tears of love and joy… if those even exist.

"You should get some sleep," he said after we parted. "We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

And so, I snuggled up to him, closing my eyes. I fell asleep with a smile on my face that night. _I love you too__…_

* * *

><p>That next day was going to be a traveling day again, but we all kind of agreed that we weren't quite ready just yet to jump right back in to walking. "Let's walk around the city for a bit," Cali suggested. "Leave our stuff here… and then come back right before we go." And we agreed, leaving our bags, and bringing just our pokemon with us.<p>

Saffron City is giant. Huge. One of the biggest cities in Kanto. And the Radio Tower can be seen for miles, and you can always see it no matter where you are in the city. It's like a landmark so you can navigate through. It used to be Silph Co.'s headquarters, until the company went out of business six or so years ago. They turned it into a Radio Tower similar to the one in Goldenrod after Silph sold the building. There is also a super poke mart, a shopping mall, and…

"The Dojo!" Jamie said suddenly, snapping his fingers. I looked at him, incredulously.

"The Dojo?" I repeated.

"What is a 'Dojo?'" asked Erik.

"Come on you guys," Jamie said. "The Fighting Dojo of Saffron?"

"Not ringing a bell," Cali said, slurping on a slushy. A red one of course.

Then, Jamie got into teacher mode again. "Well, there is a police academy here, and when Mom would come down to train rookies, she would let me stay over at the Dojo, with Lee Sin."

"Lee Sin… like from League of Heroes? The video game?" I questioned, looking at Cali.

"What is that? No, his name is just Lee Sin," Jamie said exasperated. He was now leading us, to wherever I guess the Dojo was. "He's married to Ahri, the psychic gym leader."

_Ahri? _"Like from League of Heroes!" I said, looking around at everyone. "Oh come on, you guys never played it before?"

"Nope," Cali said.

"Never."

"What is a video game?"

I sighed, and resorted to explaining what video games were to Erik, who then demanded that we go to the arcade after the Dojo. I just nodded, frustrated that no one else was getting the connection.

The Dojo was a large building, with a traditional Japanese structure. It was a two story building, with the upper roof being brown and sloping down towards either side. There was a single sliding door in the front that was open to the outside air. The sides of the building were covered in distorting tan glass tiles, giving the building an older feel.

The inside was simply an open room, with men training around the perimeter. Jamie walked right in, straight to the back where a man was sitting on the floor, meditating. We followed. The man was not even phased as Jamie reached him.

"Jamie, it has been ages," said the man. As I got closer, I about freaked out. The man was shirtless, with green flowing pants, sandals, and a red scarf wrapped around his eyes, with a golden symbol in the center. He looked exactly like the Lee Sin from League of Heroes.

"No one… no one sees it?" I asked, but no one was listening to me.

The man stood and bowed to Jamie, who bowed back respectfully. "These are my friends, Erik, Allora, Cali, and…" Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he looked at me, panicked.

"Glimmer," I finished, naming Articuno. She went along with it, nodding her head.

"Well, they seem of good energy," he said, turning his head to each of us, though with his eyes covered I don't know how he could see us.

"And of good spirit," said another voice, delicate and feminine. I turned around, for it was coming from the right side of the Dojo, from the doorway connecting it to the Gym. A woman was coming through the door, and once again, I almost died.

She was normal… sort of, if you count the psychic energy around her. Behind her body were nine tails, white and glowing. On top of her head were two fox ears, and her eyes glowed golden. Behind her walked a ninetales, the pokemon.

"But… league of heroes…" I muttered. "Forget it," I huffed to myself.

"Don't be alarmed," she said as she noticed our stares. "The form of a ninetales is simply how I channel my psychic powers." She closed her eyes and focused, and the ears and tails faded away. "You see?" she said, with them reappearing.

Erik nodded excitedly, while the rest of us shook our heads.

"Jamie, it has been quite a while," she said, embracing him quickly. I could immediately see Cali stiffen. _Oh no._

"And I'm his girlfriend," she said, stepping up quickly and offering her hand. She shook hands with the psychic quickly.

"Have you captured pokemon, Jamie?" asked Lee Sin. Jamie nodded his head, taking out his pokeballs.

"You know Verde and Azul," he said, casting out the two. He held the horsea in his arms, while the ivysaur stood proudly on the floor.

"Excellent!" praised Lee Sin, admiring Verde's evolution. "And who else?"

Jamie cast out his manectric (Crash) Spike, Vuela, and his furret (Raya.) He introduced them to Lee Sin all in turn, and was congratulated. They seemed to have been great friends before, and while the rest of the men in the Dojo bowed to and were fearful of Lee Sin, Jamie was more comfortable and friendly than anything.

"Would you like to battle with me, Jamie?" Lee Sin asked mischievously. Jamie's eyes widened.

"You… senpai I would lose, but okay!" he said nervously.

"We will do a two on two single battle, is that okay?" he asked, walking to the center of the Dojo. The other men had stopped training, and were gathered around.

"I mean… sure!" he said, looking at us with wide eyes. He mouthed the words 'oh my Arceus!' before heading down to the floor.

His pokemon, out and ready, watched him curiously for what he would do. Erik, Cali, Articuno, and I walked around to the right side of the Dojo, standing closer to Jamie than to Lee Sin.

"I will use Verde and Spike," he called, motioning for his other four pokemon to stand behind the line.

Lee Sin nodded, still with his blindfold on. "And I will use Nadia and Hentai."

_Hentai? _"Cali, isn't that like… the Japanese word for porn?" I whispered to her.

She eyed me like I was crazy. "What? No it's not," she said. "What is wrong with you today? Did you get enough sleep last night?"

I was pretty sure that Hentai was the freaking Japanese word for porn, but I decided to keep my mouth shut about stuff now. I was starting to feel like I was going crazy.

Jamie, on the other hand, after hearing the names, had put his hands over his eyes. "I'm going to lose…" he mumbled.

"No you aren't!" cheered Cali. "You go babe!"

Lee Sin threw out a pokeball. "Go, Nadia," he said calmly.

On the field appeared a lucario, a pokemon not native to Kanto. "I've only ever seen those on TV," I said awed, watching its calm demeanor.

"Okay, go get em Verde!" Jamie called, straightening up. The leafy pokemon ran out onto the battlefield, vines at the ready.

The ensuing battle was almost painful to watch. Jamie, no matter what attack he ordered, couldn't seem to help Verde land a single hit. Lee Sin didn't say one word for the first part of the engagement, simply sitting with his legs crossed, eyes covered, mouth smiling. The lucario, standing on two legs, simply dodged each vine whip or leaf attack at lightning speed. Verde was tiring out, but continuing to persevere.

I could nearly see the wheels in his head turning, when suddenly, he stopped calling out orders. "Take a rest," he said, though not recalling the grass type. He simply meant for Verde to stop attacking.

Lee Sin spoke then. "It is unwise to let your guard down," he said. And then, he flicked his wrist. Nadia leapt forward then, striking down on Verde's bulb with a karate chop.

"Saur!" cried the pokemon, and I cringed for him, but then Jamie jumped back into action. "Leech Seed!" he cried, and almost instantly, two seeds popped from the pink bulb on Verde's back. They were a direct hit on the lucario.

"Lu…" she murmured, stepping back. Vines sprouted from the seeds and wrapped themselves around her chest. And while her arm and legs were still mobile, a soft green powder was now flowing from her to Verde. The grass type stood.

"Very good!" Lee Sin congratulated, not worried in the slightest. Jamie smiled at the praise. "That was a fair hit. Excellent."

"Thank you, senpai," Jamie said, smiling.

"But now, I mustn't waste much time." Lee Sin flicked his wrist again.

Nadia slid then, foot first, and kicked Verde into the air. "Saur!" he cried, crashing down into the ground.

"That's a nasty low kick," Cali said, cringing for Jamie and Verde. I nodded, eyes trained harshly on the battlefield.

"Razor Leaf!" Jamie said, pretty confident still. The leech seed was still draining Nadia, giving him a small advantage. Verde was constantly healing, while her stamina was depleting.

I was worried though, suddenly, by Lee Sin's reaction. He grinned broadly, and flicked his wrist again. The leaves from Verde's back began to swirl, and were then fired at Nadia, who turned around at the last minute. She took a hit, though not doing much damage due to her steel typing but then…

"The leaves cut the vines?" Jamie said, awed. The razor leaf had sliced up the leech seed, with the vines falling away, ending the constant flow of energy.

"Alright, let's finish it now," Lee Sin said. Almost regretfully, he flicked his wrist one more time. Almost invisible to the naked eye, Nadia seemed only to twitch. But in that moment, Verde went from standing to fainted.

"Arial Ace," Jamie confirmed, nodding his head. He didn't even seem upset. "I was wondering why you hadn't used that first, senpai." He held out a pokeball, with Verde being sucked inside by a stream of red light.

"It would not have been fun then, would it have, Jamie?" Lee Sin asked. Jamie shook his head, smiling even still. At least he was having a good time.

Then, he looked behind him. "Okay, Spike, it's all you," he said. Spike marched onto the makeshift battlefield, roaring and stomping his feet.

Lee Sin smiled. "Such energy. That is good."

"Earth power!" Jamie roared along with his nidoking. Spike stomped his foot, shaking the foundation of the Dojo. Nadia, not expecting the attack, slipped and fell on her rump. The attack had been very damaging, I knew, with Nadia being a steel type.

"Good!" Lee Sin cheered. "You have decided to act. But now, it is my turn. Aura sphere!" he called. Jamie's eyes widened.

The room seemed to darken, as blue spheres appeared around Nadia's paws. Then, with a flick of _her _wrist, the spheres went flying. Both landed square in Spike's chest, sending the poison type flying backwards. He slammed into the ground, knocked out.

Nadia was breathing hard, but still standing, as we all moved to talk to Jamie. Lee Sin nodded once again, returning his lucario. He hadn't even needed to use his other pokemon… Hentai.

Erik, Cali, Ahri, Articuno and I walked over to see how Jamie was doing. He seemed happy enough, or at least humble about his loss. "I knew I wasn't going to win," he said to Cali, grinning as she hugged him.

We chatted together, while Lee Sin came up to speak to Jamie as well. The rest of the Dojo seemed to go back to business as usual, training and meditating. Erik, standing behind me, touched my arm. I could feel his mind in my own, stronger than usual with the physical contact.

_I have been blocking my thoughts because of the psychic, _he told me, _But I am afraid, she knows what I am. _He looked at me, speaking with his eyes in fear. I glanced at Arhi, her nine tails relaxed behind her, her pokemon returned for the time being.

But as I looked at her, her ears folded back, her tails raised and fluffed. At the same time, Erik's grip on my arm tightened. "Do you guys feel that?" she asked, eyes widened.

"No?" I said, looking back between her and Erik.

"No," said Cali and Jamie at the same time.

"Yes," Erik almost whispered. His and Ahri's heads both turned towards the front of the Dojo suddenly.

"The Radio Tower," Ahri breathed, and ran towards the door. Erik followed, awkwardly running, but keeping up with the fox-girl.

"Erik?" called Articuno, sprinting towards the two. She was extremely fast in her form, following them to wherever they went. They left us all in a cloud of dust.

"Let's go!" I said, looking at the three of them. Lee Sin nodded.

"Something must be wrong, Ahri can feel those things," he said, heading towards the door. We followed him, as well as several of the men from the Dojo. The rest stayed behind, and with a signal from Lee Sin, locked up the Dojo and the Gym.

It was nearing five or so when we left the Dojo, the skies already darkening with storm clouds brewing. I cast out Noche and Sunny at my feet, who immediately began jogging next to us, following us to the radio tower. I could already feel something wrong, as the streets were empty, unlike before, when the city was bustling even at midnight. It was rush hour, but no one was outside.

I could hear a loudspeaker ahead of us as we cut through ally ways, with a muffled female voice shouting commands. I could feel a sickening feeling in my stomach as we got closer. Erik was already there, his emotions high strung I could tell, but I wasn't close enough to feel exactly what was wrong.

We cut through the narrow space between the poke mart and the arcade, rounding a corner before catching our first glimpse of the commotion. Surrounding the radio tower were nearly twenty police vehicles, with officers running between them, guns out and aimed at the tower itself. As if on cue, a helicopter flew right above us, spotlight aimed at the tower, circling for air coverage.

Jamie immediately seemed to take charge, leading us over to one car in particular. "Mom?" he said as he approached, Cali and I following.

The blue haired woman turned from the building, eyes seeming to adjust to what she was seeing. "Jamie?" she said, shocked. She turned to Cali and I, and then back to her son. "What are you doing here? Do you just bring trouble with you?"

"We were supposed to be on our way to Vermillion, but we decided to stay a while longer so I could go see Lee Sin," he explained. The karate master, as if on cue, approached Officer Jenny, bowing deeply.

"It is good to see you, Mrs. Jenny," he said, straightening up. "But, what is happening?" We all turned to look at the building.

"Team Rocket." I nodded, already seeing it coming. "They have captured hostages inside, and are holding them for lord knows what reason. We haven't been able to get anyone inside to figure out what they are up to."

I swallowed, beginning to formulate a plan in my head. "Is there… no other way to get inside the tower?" I asked. Jenny looked at Lee Sin, and then back at me.

"There are a few people who might know how to get in…" she began. "But I will not send my son in to deal with these criminals alone!"

"He wouldn't be alone," I said, looking at Jamie, but he held his hands up.

"I know what you're thinking, Al," he said. "But I'm going to stay here with Mom. I think if you could find Ahri and Erik and… Glimmer, I think you could do something."

I nodded, looking at Cali. "What about you?" I asked, and she looked at Jamie.

"I'm going to stay out here too, Al," she said. "If stuff goes wrong out here, I think that any help would be worth it. And if too many of us went in… it would get suspicious." Officer Jenny nodded.

"Right. I wouldn't send more than… four in at a time. Rocket grunts travel in groups of four or so during these kind of operations. If you could take out a group early, take their uniforms… I think you could infiltrate and free the hostages." She looked at Lee Sin. "Lee, I don't think you should go in."

I glanced at him, and watched his hand trace over his blindfold. "You are right," he said, as if he didn't even consider taking it off. "But I will help them gain entrance."

Jenny nodded again. "We will try to keep their eyes on the commotion out here while you guys take the passage inside." At the last second, she looked at our belts. "Allora… Rocket's typically only have two pokemon. You are going to need to leave a few of them with Cali or Jamie."

I nodded, glancing towards the tower as the megaphone was used again. "I'll take Sunny and Noche," I said, unclipping my other pokeballs. "Don't be afraid to use them if necessary." Cali nodded, taking them and putting them in her bag.

I stepped back finally, looking at my two friends, trying to be strong. "I'll be back guys," I said, forcing a smile. And then I turned, casting my mind out for Erik as Lee Sin did for Ahri.

_Where are you?_


	29. Ascent

**READ! Note from the author:**

**Several things to get to you guys about! First off, I hope that some of you at least caught the League of Legends references in the last chapter. If not, look up the two newest characters' names on google images to get accurate representations of them. **

**Second, I do want to really encourage you guys to review! Last chapter I only received one review, and honestly, as a writer who has written so much, it does make me feel like a failure. This chapter marks my surpassing 100k words mark! I am hoping for some major views after this!**

**Third, the next Silverfieldsofroses competition is kicking off right... now! For this, please write a haiku about Allora Silverfield the story (not just the character, though you can if you want!) and submit it in my inbox! The competition will end when I get back. That's the other thing...**

**This coming Tuesday, in two or so days, I will be leaving for 10 weeks over this summer. 10 weeks, only on of which will I even MAYBE get some writing done. I will try my best for you guys, but no promises. I am going to work as a camp counselor at a summer camp where I live, while also finding time in there to go on vacation to St. John.**

**Once again I just want to thank you guys for being such awesome fans!**

**Silverfield**

* * *

><p>Lee Sin and I started walking just as the rain began. It started soft at first, pelting down on our heads and soaking my hair. It was getting darker by the minute.<p>

_Erik, where are you? _I thought, broadcasting it as loud as I could. Lee Sin and I had headed away from the police, back between buildings and out of sight of the radio tower. We weaved between buildings

A few seconds later, I felt a response. _Allora? I am with Ahri. She knows what I am. We are behind the… _There was a pause, then; _The building called a 'mall.'_

I gulped, thinking hard. _Ahri knows what he is? _I quickly relayed to Lee Sin what I knew, who didn't question how I knew it, and we headed north towards the shopping mall. The Saffron City mall was four stories tall, but not even half as tall as the radio tower. As we approached the back side of the building, we could see the three standing around, talking in low voices.

It dawned on me then that Ahri could read minds, because it took neither her nor Erik much time to understand our plan. Erik touched Articuno on the temple, and in no time at all we were all on the same page. "I cannot go," Lee Sin explained to Articuno when she asked. "Because of my eyes." He fingered his blindfold. "I would be too noticeable. And besides, Jenny says that no more than four would be believable. She also says that you should only take two pokemon." At this, he looked at Erik's belt, and his six pokeballs.

Erik nodded, and without question, took four of them off and handed them to the karate master. "I will be back for them. Take care of them," he said, and Lee Sin nodded, understanding. He seemed unfazed by the rain.

"I will, Mewtwo," he answered, to my shock. Erik too, looked baffled.

"I told you to tell no one!" he hissed at Ahri darkly. She looked at him and shrugged, ears flattening against her skull.

"We two have a connection, not unlike you and Allora. I don't hide many things from my life partner, and I suggest you do the same." She looked into his eyes. "No one else shall know, I swear it."

He stared at her, fists clenched, before he finally relaxed. He sighed, looking towards the ground. "I am sorry, but it is extremely important that this secret not be known to too many people. It puts not only my life in danger, but the lives of my friends."

Ahri nodded, understanding. "It is alright, we understand." Her ears perked back up, and she smiled broadly. "I do have to ask something however." She began to bounce on her toes. "When you get your powers back, will you come visit at my gym? I would love to learn from the greatest psychic pokemon to ever exist."

This brought Erik back to his usual self. "I will honor that request," he said, nodding his head.

"Okay… that's nice, but we do need to start moving," Articuno said urgently. "Arceus knows what they are up to."

I nodded, agreeing. I fingered Sunny and Noche's pokeballs on my belt, suddenly becoming nervous. We had had our break, but now we were back to facing the real enemy. We had all been jerked back to reality.

Ahri regained her composure, and gestured for us to follow her. We walked back, through a few ally ways, and back to the gym. I was curious as to what was going on, but I didn't question her yet. She seemed to sense my confusion, however, for she started to explain.

"This isn't the first time Rocket has tried to control the Radio Tower," she said. We entered the dark gym and shut the door behind us. "Well, a Radio Tower anyway. In Goldenrod, years ago, they did something similar." We headed to the back of the gym, stepping on a warp panel and finding ourselves in a smaller space, nearly pitch black. Ahri focused, and a small floating light appeared in front of us. A will-o-wisp. She really was channelling a ninetales. "So, around the regions, in our important broadcasting buildings, gym leaders built passages into the towers, to break in and stop tragedies like this."

The light had illuminated a hallway, a short one, leading to another warp panel. This one, however, when Ahri commanded the will-o-wisp to enter it, turned purple. "Stepping on this will take us to the Tower." She looked between us. "Lee Sin and I have been discussing in our minds, but we believe that sending him in first for a distraction will make access for us easier, as well as give me a glimpse into their location through our connection."

Articuno and I stared vacant, but Erik nodded. "Makes sense," he said.

"Won't he get caught?" I said, worried then. Lee Sin smiled.

"Hopefully not without a fight," he said. "They will hold me hostage like the rest, but I shall be fine. Hopefully." And with that, he turned, and stepped onto the warp panel, vanishing into thin air.

And then, it was just us four. Ahri had said that we needed to wait until she felt like we could go, whatever that meant. In the meantime, she focused, and lost her tail and ears, looking then just like the rest of us. "When we get in, we are going to have to work together to incapacitate a group of Rockets, and get their uniforms," she said, pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

"Well, what are we going to do once we get inside?" I wondered. Articuno and Erik nodded, looking to the gym leader for a plan.

"Our job is to only free the hostages," she said. "The police, once that has been done, can take down those controlling the equipment upstairs. Arceus knows what they are using it for."

Suddenly, she closed her eyes, and gasped. After a moment, she opened them and jerked her head to the ceiling. "We can go. Lee Sin has been captured. I can see what he has seen in my mind, and I can lead us through the first few levels of the building. He is being taken to where the hostages are… we should be able to find them." Then, she took a step, clenching her fist.

"Let's go."

I took a breath, and stepped onto the warp panel. Then, I was trapped in darkness, surrounded on all sides. Something with wet, slimy tentacles was brushing against my head. It wasn't until Articuno appeared next to me that I could make anything out. Her blue hair gave off enough of a soft glow for me to see that we were in…

"A janitor's closet?" I hissed, moving the mop off of my scalp. Ahri appeared beside me, and shrugged.

"It had to be somewhere inconspicuous. Now come on!"

We four opened the closet slowly, looking both ways down the hallway before stepping outside. The hall was empty, and it was eerily quiet. The fluorescent lights along the ceiling were half on and half off, creating a dim, eerie lighting. Office doors were spaced evenly along the walls, as well as windows, which through the darkness outside, let in the steady sound of rain. We left the closet, shutting the door.

I felt exposed then, and turned to Ahri for a plan. Her eyes were closed, focusing. Finally, she opened them. "There is an elevator to our left, and a staircase farther down. We should take the stairs." It made sense, and we all followed.

Our footsteps seemed to make a lot of noise in the quiet of the hallway. We walked along the inner wall, passing the dark windows that would occasionally flash with lightning, the rumbling thunder almost immediately after. Looking out the windows towards the ground, you could see the red and blue flashing lights of the police. We seemed to be several stories up.

This was confirmed when we passed the elevator, proudly declaring that we were on the eighth floor. Even then, we weren't even halfway up the tower. We rounded another corner, finding ourselves in front of the stairwell. I went in last, looking up towards the ceiling. The tall, tall, 24 story tall ceiling. I gulped. The broadcasting station was on the top floor.

Ahri closed her eyes again, and then motioned for us to follow her. We had suddenly reached a wordless agreement that we needed to be silent, and that we did, gently placing our footfalls as we made our way up the stairwell.

We reached the tenth floor, and then stopped by the door. "There are four Rockets coming this way," she breathed, eyes closed, focusing. "We need their uniforms." At this, a pokeball seemed to appear in her palm, and she pushed the button, releasing her ninetales silently. Erik and Articuno did the same, Erik releasing Rimo, is ghastly, and Articuno releasing her weavile.

I grabbed Noche's pokeball, quietly sending him out. I knew he would be quietest and most effective in a sneak attack, for he was silent on his feet. Rimo faded into the wall, and the rest of us stood just behind the wall, waiting for the patrolling Rockets to round the corner again. I could hear their footsteps clacking closer, and my body tensed, ready for the jump.

Erik held up a hand before we leapt out, closing his eyes. Suddenly, the lights in the hall outside the stairwell went out. "What's going on?" came a voice, followed by a crashing noise. "Shit!"

"Calm down," said a female voice, cool and collected. "Get your pokemon out. We have company."

"Now," Ahri whispered, and we all jumped out.

Rimo had used a night shade to bring the hall into darkness, and the resulting fight happened really fast. Articuno's weavile was scary fast, and sprinted around the feet of the Rockets, tripping them and sending them to the floor. In the confusion, Ahri's ninetales produced several will-o-wisps, sending them flying around the room, into the faces of the Rockets

"I… I can't see!" one of them shouted. I could barely see myself. The bright light of the will-o-wisps mixed with the darkness of the night shade was blinding.

Noche, however, was doing perfectly. As each Rocket was blinded, he would use a faint attack from behind, knocking them out. Rimo was incapacitating their pokemon with hypnosis, floating in and out of the floor, right in front of their faces.

"What is… who are you?" shouted the female Rocket in the commotion. The will-o-wisps moved in front of her face, blinding her, and Noche sent her into unconsciousness. Then, it was quiet, and the lights came back up.

On the ground we had four members, laying in very uncomfortable looking positions. Rimo was floating above a pile of pokemon, tongue lolling out of his mouth, grinning happily. "Gha?" he asked.

"Yes, you did good," I said, still looking over the bodies on the ground. There were three men and a woman, all wearing standard Team Rocket uniforms. They were all fairly skinny, and three of the four wore hats, with the woman being the only one who neglected to don one.

We began the process of undressing them, which was actually more difficult than I thought it would be. I took the woman, removing her shirt and leggings and boots, which were only one size too big for me. Under her shirt, she wore a necklace on a simple silver chain, with a purple-black crystal suspended on the end. I put that on too. In just her undergarments, I began stripping my own clothes off and dressing her back up again as Allora.

Her hair was blonde, and pulled back into a bun. I did not have a hair tie, so I removed hers, letting her hair free. It was straight and blonde, a little darker than my own. I pulled my hair back into the same hairstyle, finishing just as the others finished their disguises.

Ahri looked at the faces of the Rocket's and used some of her psychic energy to draw symbols on our faces. "What is that going to do?" I asked as she drew on my forehead.

"I can provide disguises for our faces to make us look like the ones on the ground," she explained. "It is simple, and uses little of my power. Ask Erik." I looked at him, and he was nodding.

"She is only providing a false image over your face, however, if someone touches your face, it will be broken," he said, letting her do the same to him. "It is not like what I have done, which is change my entire body into something else. You should look exactly like the woman on the ground."

Articuno was the only one who was going to have issues. Ahri had a hair tie around her wrist, but had to use it for herself. But the legendary pokemon's hair was waist length and blue. I searched through the pockets of the Rockets, trying to find something that would help. I didn't find anything, but Erik found…

"Scissors," he stated, holding them up. Articuno sighed, taking the hat off and bowing her head in acceptance. Ahri and I took turns cutting her long hair, until she had a light blue pixie cut hairdo. It hid perfectly under the hat.

Ahri used her powers to pick the lock on one of the doors, and we dragged the bodies of the Rocket members into the room. Ahri, being the only one who could comfortably do it, used the mind slaving pokeballs to return their pokemon. We couldn't carry the pokeballs with us without looking suspicious, but then again our regular pokeballs also looked suspect. But Ahri took care of that.

Using the same energy she uses to create her fox tails and ears, she created illusory cases around our pokeballs in the same style as the mind slaving ones. Leaving the room, we all four looked just like Team Rocket grunts.

"Now what?" I asked, looking around. We were back in the eerie quiet of the hallway. Thunder boomed from outside, rattling the windowpanes of the building. I flinched, hating thunderstorms since I was a kid.

"Lee Sin is still three floors above us. We should take the elevator, so we look less suspicious. If someone saw us leaving the stairwell, they would suspect something." Ahri's logic was undeniable. She had put her black hair into a bun as well, tucking it into her hat. Erik's hair was also hidden by the large cap. Mine was the only exposed, but still pulled back.

We made our way towards the elevator, and I flinched again with another crash of thunder from outside. The machine dinged, and we hit the button for the fourteenth floor.

"Shouldn't it be thirteen?" Erik asked as the door closed. "We came from ten, and it is three stories above us."

"Most tall buildings don't have a thirteenth floor, it's bad luck," I explained as the elevator his number eleven.

"But… it is impossible. Even if the floor is not called thirteen, it is still the thirteenth floor if you count up from the ground level." Erik's brow furrowed, confused. Twelve.

"Erik… It's just the way humans do it," I said, exasperated.

"I will never understand human customs," he grumbled.

Fourteen.

The door opened and I froze, shocked, to see another Rocket member waiting for the elevator as well. He didn't even blink. "Ah, Admin Ciara, your shift over already?" he asked, moving aside and letting us out. He was addressing me. "Why the stop on this lucky floor?"

_Captives! _a female voice screamed in my head. Ahri's.

"I'm, um, here to check on the captives," I said, raising my chin like I was confident, and leaving the elevator.

"Well, you should keep your guards with you until you return to the broadcast room, yes? We will be waiting for you," he said, smiling. "Your expertise on pokemon evolution is crucial to this project, yes?"

"Of… of course!" I said, nodding to him. Inside my head I was screaming. Three grunts followed him into the elevator, and the door shut behind them.

_Oh my God! _I thought to Erik.

_Ahri cannot speak to you like that again, it is hard to speak telepathically unless you have a connection, _he explained. _However, she can speak to me because we are both psychic. I will translate to you._

"You are an Admin," Ahri breathed quietly as we made our way down the hall. "Admin Ciara, he said. He also said you are important to their project, because of pokemon evolution."

"They are probably doing some sort of signal to force evolution so they can capture that energy," Articuno whispered. "If that's true, then you are going to have to go up there. You'll have to slow them down somehow. I can destroy the machinery if I can get in there."

Erik looked at her, and she held up her hand. We kept walking. "I will be fine, Erik. I will be with my brothers."

I gulped, knowing what she was planning on doing.

We rounded another corner, and reached two Rocket grunts guarding a door. They stood up straighter when they saw me, reminding me of the demeanor that I needed to keep. "You can relax," I said, standing tall as I approached.

_Ahri says that Rocket Admins are normally not very nice to grunts. She says be a… bitch, _Erik informed me, sounding slightly confused as to the meaning of the word 'bitch.' I narrowed my eyes in response.

"You're done here, move along," I barked. The grunts flinched, and I had to resist smiling.

"Miss, we are supposed to be here all night and-"

"But, ma'am, we aren't to leave here and we were assigned-"

"I said move along," I interrupted, dangerously quiet. They both stopped arguing and shakily nodded their heads, nearly sprinting away down the halls.

Once they were gone, we opened the conference room door to find fifty or so employees of the radio tower. They were all huddled under a table or against the walls. All except for one.

"What is going on!" I turned to my right. A man around the age of twenty was marching towards our group, finger wagging in our direction. "I was in the middle of my article when _you_ thugs decided to come busting in here, locking us up, and taking mmph mmph mmph!" Erik had clapped his hand over the man's mouth, muffling his last few words.

"Would you be _quiet?" _I hissed. Erik let the man go. "We are not your captors, we are here to get you guys out of here!"

"Oh," said the man, taking a step back. "Well good luck with _that."_

"What do you mean?" I asked, scanning the room for Lee Sin.

"Well, this place is crawling with Rockets, and I'm sure they have people at that front door. And even if you had some secret passage into the tower… Ha!" He laughed at that thought. "How would you expect to get all fifty of us out of here without them noticing?"

"Who are you?" Ahri asked, cocking her head. The man looked at her.

"Sorry about that, the name's Kane. I'm a writer here at the station," he said, holding his hand towards the psychic. "I was on when this was the the Silph Co. Headquarters, and helped them transition to a Radio Station when Silph Co. went out of business." Ahri shook his hand slowly, looking around the room.

"Lee Sin must have been moved…" she began, still scanning the room. "Something… is blocking our connection. I don't know what it is…" She closed her eyes, trying to focus, then opened them, frustrated. "I can't detect him. Knowing he is a gym leader, they probably have him holed up in the broadcasting room."

"It's on the top floor," Kane said, looking between us. "I don't know what you guys are planning, but all of their operations have got to be there."

"We know," I said, thinking. "Kane, we got in here through a warp panel… it leads to the gym. Do you think you could sneak a few at a time downstairs to get out of here?"

Kane looked around the room, taking a deep breath. "Maybe," he said finally. "I could try."

"It wouldn't work," Ahri said. "You need my will-o-wisps to access the panel." She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms.

"Then, you should help him," Erik said. Ahri stared at him.

"I want to find Lee Sin, and make sure he is alright," she said. For the first time, I heard fear in her voice.

"We are both psychic, are we not?" Erik asked, looking at her. Kane's eyes widened a bit, but he stayed quiet. Ahri nodded. "Well, simply use the window of my eyes to accompany us. But these people need your help."

It was quiet for a long moment before the psychic gym leader finally agreed. "I suppose you are right," she said, sighing and closing her eyes. "I will help them get out of here, if you guys can find my partner."

I nodded, and so did Articuno. We looked between ourselves. First we were five. Then four. Now three, preparing to head to the top of the building.

I swallowed. If we lost anyone else, it probably wouldn't just be temporary.

It would be for good.

* * *

><p><strong>READ! Note from the author:<strong>

**Several things to get to you guys about! First off, I hope that some of you at least caught the League of Legends references in the last chapter. If not, look up the two newest characters' names on google images to get accurate representations of them.**

**Second, I do want to really encourage you guys to review! Last chapter I only received one review, and honestly, as a writer who has written so much, it does make me feel like a failure. This chapter marks my surpassing 100k words mark! I am hoping for some major views after this!**

**Third, the next Silverfieldsofroses competition is kicking off right... now! For this, please write a haiku about Allora Silverfield the story (not just the character, though you can if you want!) and submit it in my inbox! The competition will end when I get back. That's the other thing...**

**This coming Tuesday, in two or so days, I will be leaving for 10 weeks over this summer. 10 weeks, only on of which will I even MAYBE get some writing done. I will try my best for you guys, but no promises. I am going to work as a camp counselor at a summer camp where I live, while also finding time in there to go on vacation to St. John.**

**Once again I just want to thank you guys for being such awesome fans!**

**Silverfield**


	30. Erik

ERIK

The setting sun projected directly into my eyes as I stepped out of the cave in my new body. This puny, pink, soft body. Granted, my old body had been soft as well, but not with my powers protecting me. But now… I tried to levitate myself from the dirt. I closed my eyes, and focused on repelling myself from the ground, with little success.

"Argh!" I cried, my first vocalizations from my body. I had managed to get hardly an inch from the dirt. The task drained so much from me, that once I had released, I could not even stand on my legs. Of course, I was not yet used to walking, but I was getting there.

I had, in my bag slung over my back, my partners that I had managed to rescue from the lab. I kneeled on all fours on the ground, the sun beating against my back. I sat up until I was only on my knees, pulling six pokeballs from my the bag to place in my belt, as is the human limit. It took me only a moment to realize that the boy's own four pokemon were in his belt already. I carefully set my partners down on the ground, picking up his four and tossing them in front of me.

Before me sat a raichu, a houndoom, a gloom, and a golduck. They took one look at me, and narrowed their eyes.

"You are not Thomas," said the houndoom, spitting smoke from its nose. "You smell of cave, and feel like psychic."

"Where is our trainer?" cried the raichu, looking around the area.

"Yur trner was cgh in anfd tavlnch," I attempted. Speaking with a human mouth was difficult, much more difficult than telepathy. Even when I did speak in my old form, it was much easier. What were those… lips? And bulky teeth? And floppy tongue…

"Where?" questioned the raichu while the others looked around. I had no idea how I was to communicate with them.

I reached out my arm, gestured for the mouse pokemon to come closer to me. Glancing at the others, she took several steps forward. I touched her forehead with my long fingers, projecting into her mind exactly what had happened, including the confrontation with Darkrai, and who I really was.

"He's legendary!" was the first thing she said. Immediately the others changed their mindsets. Their body language changed from anger, to fear. "Mewtwo…" she whispered, backing up.

"Forgive us," said the golduck, taking a step closer. "We did not know you were a Great One." He used the term that normal pokemon use for legendaries, and I nodded, acknowledging his respect.

"You arh frgivun," I tried, but I was still having issues with the mouth. I motioned for him to step forward, and he did, with me expressing my feelings of forgiveness through connected telepathy.

I then repeated to the water type what had occurred inside the cave, and he looked down, very taken aback. "Thomas is dead," he said, voicing it for the first time. The others froze in shock, and then began wailing in sadness.

"Our trainer!" mourned the gloom. "He is gone!"

"What are we going to do!" cried the houndoom. He raised his head and howled into the sky, the moon now visible with the sun almost completely set.

I touched the golduck again. They needed to go, and warn pokemon everywhere of Darkrai's plot. As a legendary, I have significant authority over normal pokemon. They agreed without hesitation.

"Yes sir," was the general reaction I received. They immediately headed in different directions, saying brief goodbyes, and heading to spread the word. Four wasn't many, but it was a start.

I turned and sat on my buttocks, relieving pressure from my knees. My feet began tingling, feeling as if they were numb. I had no idea then that this is what humans called your foot 'falling asleep,' and that it happens when you cut off blood supply for an extended period of time. I only found out later. At the moment, I was very afraid that I had somehow messed up my transformation.

It was taking a steady and sustainable amount of my power to keep my in a human form. If I had wanted, I could change into my true self and become slightly more powerful, but Darkrai would know for sure that I was still alive, and be able to track my aura. No… I needed to remain in my human form as long as possible.

And that is what I did. I took in my belt my six most helpful partners. Juez, the murkrow, was constantly out and with me, scanning the skies ahead and helping me navigate. I had exited my cave in an opening near Cerulean City, and that is where I headed first.

I used my limited knowledge of humans to get by that first week. I watched them, learning what I could to assimilate. I also began using their televisions. They are good systems for learning and broadcasting. I watched television every day for hours at a time, especially during the night time when most humans would sleep.

I kept it tuned to news stations, looking for any sign of Darkrai, but there was none. I also began mimicking the speech techniques of humans, practicing alone in a pokemon center room until I was nearly perfect. I had gotten one of the basic, free rooms to stay in. I used hand signals, pretending as if I was mute. The nurse with pink hair then showed me to my room, behaving as if I was blind. It is in my opinion that humans often cross over mental and physical disabilities. My inability to speak had nothing to do with my ability to see, or process directions to my bedroom. She behaved as if I needed help seeing, and as if I had a mental disability.

I assure you humans, that I do not have anything wrong with my mind.

After that week, I was fully resolved in myself to travel around Kanto, looking for signs of Darkrai. During our fight in the cave, I had seen briefly into his mind. Dark types can usually shield their minds from the probing of psychics, but in his careless vanity, he had let his guard down. I knew he was using Team Rocket to make his plan come together. Therefore, Team Rocket would be my key to Darkrai and my sister, Mew. He would keep her and my other cousins locked up somewhere safe. Wherever Team Rocket had their base.

But I had no idea how to get there. I walked and walked, eating more than usual, and feeling a burning in my legs that I had never felt before. Humans called that exercise. I made my way south, taking back roads around the town called Saffron. It was large, with a towering building in the center. I had seen on TV that it was called the radio tower, and it had replaced Silph Co. five years ago.

I headed east, cutting through forests, broadcasting with my mind as far out into the woods as I dared. And everywhere I went, I spread the word. Many pokemon would sense I was not quite human, and then I would explain to them what happened. This was working for me, for many of them would immediately swear to spread the word to others. But I realized that it was dangerous for me, for in other towns, some trainers' pokemon would also feel that I wasn't human, and they would make a scene.

After a bit, I used a small amount of my power to shield myself. Then, I appeared to be just as a normal human was, in aura and in appearance. That was when I reached Lavender Town.

The city itself seemed more at home for me. It was busy during the day, but quiet and spiritual at night. I stayed a few nights in the pokemon center there, before leaving and spending a night in the woods beside what they called the Pokemon Tower.

This Tower was where humans buried dead pokemon, and prayed to Arceus for their souls to rest in peace. Sometimes, pokemon who wanted it enough would turn into ghost pokemon, living on earth and searching for their trainer. But that night, it was I who was praying to Arceus.

"My Lord and Savior," I began, getting on my knees and touching my head to the dirt. I was outside, facing towards the moon. This site was a powerful spiritual area, but I knew better than to block my prayers with the stone ceiling of a building. Silly humans.

"Lord," I prayed. "Please, my sister, I need a sign. I need means to find her. Please. It has been nearly two months now, and I have had no signs. No leads. Not even on Team Rocket. I pray to you, Lord, send me a sign. A human, even, that will be my lead to her." I looked up at the sky, to the moon where He looks down upon us. "Not just my sister, but my cousins. The rest of my family. I need to warn them, I need to save them."

The moon did not move, and I did not get any response. I spent that night beneath a tree beside the tower, waiting for something, anything, to pass by. And nothing did.

That morning, I headed back towards the western part of the Town, taking a rest in the woods just off of a dirt path, when I heard it. "Enemy!" hissed a voice. An ekans, I recognized. But something sounded off about its tone. "Enemy!" it repeated, dull and monotone. My eyes widened as I headed towards the voice.

I cast out Rimo, a ghastly, and told him to go incapacitate the trainer and ekans. He nodded, scouting ahead. But then Juez came. "Team Rocket!" he cawed, and immediately I called out Tiji. I wanted to take no chances.

The Rocket member was only a boy, and it took no effort at all to frighten him into submission. But there was something else going on. A girl was on the ground. Her hair was curly and yellow, her eyes a stormy grey. I walked over to her, for she was laying down, having been bucked by a frightened rapidash. "Are you alright?" I asked her. This was one of my first real conversations with another human, and I spoke slowly, making sure to annunciate my words.

"I'm fine," she said, glancing behind me. I turned, seeing another bag like mine, on the ground.

"Tji, get the lady's bag for her," I asked. He nodded, heading towards the pack to grab it.

"Who are you?" she asked suddenly, and I turned back around. _If only you knew,__" _I thought.

"You can call me Erik," I said. I had seen the current champion of the pokemon league on TV, and thought that my human self deserved a powerful name. "This is Tiji," I introduced the scyther. "This is Juez," I said, gesturing towards the murkrow.

"Hello!" he cawed, forgetting for a moment that humans can't understand pokemon.

"And that," I said, pointing over her shoulder. "Is Rimo."

The hyperactive ghastly appeared right behind her, startling her. "Ah!" she cried, jumping back and running into me. I nearly fell, just barely catching myself. And her.

"Control yourself, Rimo," I scolded. He faded into the air, saddened by my scolding.

"Don't worry about him," I said, eying the spot where Rimo had been, "He does that when he is scolded. You can thank him for subduing that Rocket, his night shade and hypnosis worked like a charm." I glanced back at the girl, curious. I knew not what to call her. "I do not believe I know your name miss…?"

"Allora," she said. She seemed completely bewildered for a moment, before glaring at me. "Why are you here? Why did you save me?"

I did not realize that in human society, rescuing another was seen as suspicious behavior. She seemed to think that I wanted something from her. I narrowed my eyes, wishing then that I could display my power. Then she would not dare speak to me as such….

"I'm just traveling. I was passing by and I heard some commotion. When I saw what was happening, I decided to help. Is that a crime?" I demanded. I had nearly started yelling, and she looked frightened. I sighed, not wanted to become a bad guy. "Come, we should tend to your pokemon."

I moved towards the poisoned rapidash, letting part of my guard down. Immediately it knew I wasn't what I seemed. Glancing at Allora to make sure she didn't see, I touched it's head, showing it what I was. It bowed its head in acknowledgement.

Healing isn't much trouble for me, and in almost no time I had removed the poison from its veins. The pokemon looked me in the eyes, projecting feelings of gratitude. I nodded slightly, thanking it as well.

"Ughh… uhhhhhh," I heard. Whirling around, it appeared as if the Rocket had woken from Rimo's hypnosis. "Please, please don't hurt me!" he whimpered. "I just needed the money for my ma!" He looked pleadingly towards Allora. "Please, don't let him make the darkness again! I'll go home, I won't tell anyone!"

I felt no sympathy. My first encounter with one that was doing the bidding of Darkrai was not to be a pleasant one. "We should turn him in," I said. "That way he can't let Team Rocket know where your home is." I looked at her, waiting for her approval.

"Please don't make me go to jail! My ma couldn't live without me battlin' for money. Please! We're poor, I promise I'll go right home! Please…" The boy began to cry.

"Look at me," Allora said. I watched her, curious. "Get up." He rolled to his stomach and grunted as he struggled to his feet. He looked at Allora, and I tensed, preparing for a fight

"Are these pokemon yours?" Allora asked. He shook his head.

"No, miss. My growlith is at home. Clara gave me the ekans and this zubat and told me to rob students comin' home from school. She said one of them might have somethin' important in their bag." I vaguely wondered what Team Rocket might be after from a high school student, but it wasn't my priority.

The boy began crying again. "She said if I got enough stuff Team Rocket would provide for me and ma as long as I stayed loyal. I'm not a bad person. Please, don't take me to jail! Ma won't make it without me makin' any money, I promise I'll go right home and start trainin' again. I'll be good, honest!"

I was tired of listening to his pleas. "Come on, boy. It's time to go." I snarled, taking hold of his arm and pulling it behind his back so he wouldn't try anything. But then Allora surprised me. She leapt forward and broke my grasp on the boy, freeing him. Then, she turned on me.

"What are you thinking!" she yelled. "Can't you see he's just a kid?"

Age means nothing, I could not understand why she couldn't see it. "I can see much more than that. Trust me, Allora, it's best this way." I tried to grab the grunt again, but she moved in front of me.

"He's just a kid," she repeated, annoyed. "He deserves a chance!" What was this sympathy? This Rocket was the first lead I had had in months… Something clicked in my head. Was she my sign? I stepped back.

"Fine. You handle it. But, I'm warning you, this is a bad decision." I said, still thinking, as she turned back to the boy.

"The first thing I want you to do," she ordered, "Is recall your ekans. I want you to then head straight home. Do you know how to get there from here?" He nodded. "Good. Go home and train and make your money the honest way, okay? This is a warning." He nodded his head vigorously.

He reached into his belt and pulled out a pokeball. He enlarged it and I shrank back. The ball was giving off an evil aura, one that I had felt before. And from the sound of the ekans… I took a step back, not taking my eyes from the pokeball.

"Wait a second," she said, "Can I see that?" I flinched as she held her hand out, taking the poke ball from him. She flinched immediately, handing it back to the boy, who didn't seem to feel anything. Interesting.

"What kind of pokeball is that?" she asked.

"Is it different from other ones?" he wondered. "I just thought it had a fancy paint job. Why? What's wrong with it?" He was still holding it in his palm.

"Isn't your hand starting to turn numb?" she asked him. He shook his head. But Allora's was? That pokeball seemed to only affect pokemon, so why was she feeling anything?

"No… it feels normal." He looked up at Allora. "I'm pretty sure Team Rocket just designed some new paint job for their pokeballs to make them unique."

Allora paused for a moment, as I still refused to take my eyes from the pokeball. She made a decision then, with me too frozen to agree or disagree.

"I'm going to need to take that pokeball from you," she said to the kid. He froze up.

"But… this is my ekans! They gave him to me!" he exclaimed. I resisted the urge to laugh. Team Rocket give a pokemon away for good? Absurd. But there was no telling this kid that. Or at least I thought.

"Look," Allora began. "It is really important that we have that pokeball, and the one for your zubat too! If you don't hand it over, I won't hesitate to take you to jail." He flinched and looked at the ground. Allora went a little easier on him. "Look, this ekans isn't really yours. It belongs to Team Rocket. If they decided to stop using you –yes, using you! - to rob pedestrians, do you really think they would let you keep their pokemon?" He didn't look up, but stiffened again. It was working, and I decided to back her up.

"She's right," I said, with Allora looking at me. "These pokemon are not right. They are not normal. Team Rocket has made them evil. They are not your friends." I looked at Allora, trying to judge if I was doing okay. I seemed to be. "Give Al the balls so we can help these pokemon become good again. It is better for both them and you."

After a few silent moments, the boy looked back at Allora. He had tears on his cheeks. "But, it's dangerous in the woods without a pokemon miss, what am I going to do?" I tried to tell him that he would be fine, but Allora interrupted me before I could.

"My parents own a breeder's farm!" She said. Why was she sharing this? "Sometimes trainers don't want the eggs that their pokemon have and they leave the eggs with us. My parents are always giving away hatched pokemon to worthy trainers. We have tons of them roaming around in the fields. If I got you one to take home with you, would you give us the pokeballs?"

"Are you sure showing him where you live is such a good idea?" I asked. What was she thinking?

"What do you think is going to happen? I'm pretty sure if he decided to try to rob my house my parents could handle him." she responded.

"It's not him I'm worried about…"I muttered, but she was already talking again.

"Now give me the pokeballs, and once you do, follow me down the road. I'll get you a pokemon sufficient enough to get you home. Deal?" He nodded. She smiled and held out her hand. He placed the now minimized ekans' ball and the zubat's ball into her palm. She seemed to stiffen, and quickly placed the balls into her pack before turning to the rapidash.

"You can go now, I'm close enough to home and I'm sure you need a rest. You did great," she told the fire pokemon. It snorted, fire spurting from its nostrils, and took a step towards the boy.

Allora stopped it however. "Woah, it's okay. He's fine now. I can handle myself. Go on back to the school now, I'll be fine," she commanded. And it actually listened. I was surprised that such a high level pokemon would take such irrational orders from such an unexperienced trainer. Allora noticed me staring at her, and her face reddened.

"What?" she demanded. I shrugged, a gesture I had picked up from TV.

"Nothing, just thinking about something," I muttered, not wanted to doubt her in public. She turned back towards the kid.

"Now," she said, "you are going to follow me. I'm not sure if my parents are home or not, so stand at the edge of the forest when we come to the clearing. I'll get you a pokemon that I think would be a great companion with you. Train with it and earn money the right way; not robbing people. Deal?" she asked, with him nodding. Then, she turned to me.

"Thank you, for saving me." she said surprisingly. I simply looked at her, trying to figure her out, when she surprised me further.

"You're a great trainer…" she said slowly. "I know how lonely training can be. Um, me and some friends are starting our own paths tomorrow, if, you know, maybe you…" She paused, looking at me questioningly. She was asking me to join her?

"I'll think about it." I said, not giving much away. She sighed, I guess more hopeful that I would have given a direct yes. So curious. Something was edging me to say yes, but I could not tell what.

"Okay, great. Um, we are meeting in front of Violet High tomorrow at 10… and make sure you bring money, and your pokemon, and your bag, and…" Was she really listing things for me to bring?

"I said I would think about it," I repeated. "I know what an adventure requires. I am not an idiot. If I decide to come, I will be there. If not, farewell Al." I panicked then, calling her Al. Sometimes information slips out of the heads of people you speak to. For psychic pokemon, we can pick up on these bits of information, making us appear more insightful. I had seen from her mind that her friends called her Al, and while trying to be appealing, it had slipped out. I turned quickly and began walking away.

She got really angry about it, however."Fine then!" she shouted. "If you're gonna be rude, I don't want you to come at all!" He continued walking. "And don't call me Al!" I didn't turn, not wanting to betray myself. It angered me, though, that she had told me what to do, and from within me came a burst of psychic energy.

I channeled it into a voice projection, something much easier than telepathy. "But I thought you did not mind your friends calling you Al?" I said as I entered the tree line. I caught a glimpse of her whirling around, but I wasn't there.

And the rest is history.


	31. Signal and Escape

Still dressed as Ciara, the Rocket admin, Articuno, Erik, and I left the room which held the captives. Ahri was leading small groups of them down the stairs and to the warp panel, keeping an eye out to make sure that the guards weren't going to come back.

Our trio went back to the elevator, preparing to go up to the top. I was nervous fingering the small black crystal on my necklace. Erik noticed, as we walked, and peered closer at it.

"I thought I felt something…" he murmured. I looked over at him. HIs eyes were squinted in thought under his hat.

"Felt what?" I asked. I glanced down at my necklace, stopping walking for the moment. I looked back up at him. "What?" I repeated.

"It seems that Darkrai might suspect my involvement…" he said slowly. He looked up, glancing around the empty hallway. The buzzing of the fluorescent lights rang in my ears. Thunder boomed in the distance. "Those are dark crystals. meant to disrupt psychic pokemon and their telepathy. When I spoke to you in our minds before, I felt a small obstruction, but was able to break through because of our connection." His eyes trained once more on the necklace.

"Will you still be able to communicate with her?" Articuno asked. She had turned around to stop with us. She looked so different with her long blue hair being cut, her shorter do completely hidden under her cap.

Erik nodded. "As long as we are close I believe so. However I don't think I'll be able to sense anything about the Team Rocket admins. I'm going to assume that Darkrai has outfitted each of them with these necklaces. This might even be what is blocking Ahri's connection with Lee Sin, if he was forced to wear one as well."

That thought was worrisome. I had gotten so used to Erik being able to read all kinds of situations that the thought of him being limited in that aspect was scary.

Not only that, but the fact that Darkrai now suspected his involvement with everything. We needed to make sure that his secret was hidden better. The three of us exchanged silent glances, before turning back down the hallway.

The elevator had us pinned on the fourteenth floor. Or the thirteenth, as Erik reminded me once again. Kane had told us that the broadcasting station was on the top floor, the thirtieth floor. "Well, really the twenty ninth floor," Erik said as we pushed the up button for the elevator. I shot him a look, and he closed his mouth.

"Just don't talk," I said as the door opened. We stepped onto the elevator, turning back to face the door. I pushed the '30' button.

Erik pushed the 'close door' button, waited a few seconds, pushed it again, waited a few more seconds, and pushed it a third time, each time slightly more angrily than the first. "Why is the door not closing?" he asked, pushing it over and over again like a child.

"Erik," I said, watching his antics. He continued to push the button. "ERIK!" I grabbed his hand, and he looked at me. "The 'close door' button on elevators doesn't actually work. It's made for impatient people to push." I let go of his arm. "It's a psychology thing."

He looked at me, and back at the button. "I will never understand humans," he said. The door began to close.

Eerie classical music played in the elevator as I psyched myself up for what was to come. It felt as though I was preparing to go on stage. I was getting into character. I just hoped that none of them asked me any personal questions about Ciara herself, because I would surely fail.

The elevator slowed to a stop, and we exchanged last glances at each other before stepping into the room.

It was no longer a long hallway, but a carpeted suite like lounge that we found ourselves in. There were couches, a small bar-like kitchen, and of course, a large wall of machinery and flashing lights, covered in microphones and speakers, and surrounded in soundproof glass. There were twenty or so Rocket members in the room, some lounging on couches, drinking alcohol.

A few of them were in the booth itself, having what looked to be a heated argument, though it looked comical through the soundproof glass. We entered the room, the doors sliding shut behind us. We were acknowledged with nods and glances, but little else. I slowly began to approach the booth, Erik and Articuno at my heels.

The admin that had greeted me at the elevator before was getting yelled at. He was seated in a chair, staring ahead into space, while a mousy looking man stood, yelling down at him. The man who was seated seemed to be ignoring every word he was saying. Two other people, who I also assumed were admins, were talking to each other in the room in a more civilized manner.

Through the glass walls, the man who was yelling spotted me. I froze for a split second, before reminding myself to stay in character. But it didn't matter. He began to gesture vigorously for me to enter the room. I walked to the door and opened it.

"— without delay! And now it has been hours past our projected broadcast time, and we still can't even get this oddish to evolve!" The man who was yelling picked up an oddish that had been seated on the table. I had only just noticed it. It squealed in pain, being lifted by its leaves. Then, without warning, the man chucked it against the wall. The thud was sickening. It slid to the ground.

"Hey!" I said, instantly regretting it. But all I earned was an annoyed glance.

"And the only reason that _she _is on this project is because she knows more than your stupid ass!" he practically screeched. He scowled at me. "Damn pokemon rights activists. If it wasn't for your knowledge of pokemon evolution… What are they doing in here?" He looked past me, and I turned, finding Erik and Articuno, both with disgusted looks on their faces, probably from the mistreatment of the oddish.

"They're my guards," I blurted, turning back to him. He rolled his eyes, pointing at Erik and Articuno.

"I don't care _who _you are, when there is admin business to attend to, you stay out of it! That means out of this room!" He took a step forward, gesturing towards the door. _"__OUT!__"_

Erik shot me one last pleading look before leaving the room, the door shutting quietly behind the two of them. The man went back to his rant. "As I was saying, if it wasn't for your 'knowledge' on pokemon evolution, you wouldn't be in this room at all!" He did little air quotes at the word 'knowledge,' standing up straight then and adjusting his lab coat. "Remind me again why you got promoted to admin?"

I was completely lost, and for once in my life I was glad that I didn't get a chance to respond. "I honestly don't even care." He said, turning back to the machines on the wall.

"She was promoted to admin for being one of the only ones out of all of us with her head screwed on straight." The man who had addressed me in front of the elevator spoke for the first time. His head was in his hands. He glanced up at the man in the lab coat. "And, Dr. Flemming, if you _ever _treat a pokemon the way you just did in my presence again, I will have you demoted back to the lousy grunt you are." The show of sympathy to the oddish was a shock to me.

The man in the lab coat rolled his eyes. "Spare me, _admin_. Houston if you hadn't taken Gerome's place after that incident in Mt. Moon, you wouldn't be here either. And in such a position of 'power'" He turned towards me then. No matter his words, after the chilling statement from Houston, he seemed a bit more put back in his place.

After a few seconds of staring at me, he frowned. "Are you or are you not going to attempt to fix our problem?" he asked, eyes following me. I blinked, thinking for a moment.

"Well… it's a signal, right?" I questioned. He nodded, exasperated. "Well… let me hear what you have." I hoped that it was something they could play in the studio, seeing as how they were trying to evolve the oddish that was in the room with them. I kept my mission in the front of my mind: stall, stall, stall.

Dr. Flemming turned to the machinery, pushing a few buttons. Instinct took over for me, and I walked over to the glass, picking up the poor oddish that lay crumpled on the ground. It was still conscious, and I cradled it in my arms. Glancing to the right, I saw a man tied up behind some boxes. It was Lee Sin. His blindfold had been removed, and his eyes were shut. He wasn't moving.

Houston watched me, wordless. The other two admins in the room took their respective seats.

A piercing sound began to fill the room. It was almost like nails on a chalkboard. Behind the awful scraping sound was an ominous pulse, beating like a drum. The oddish in my arms began to vibrate, but not from the stages of evolution. From pain. "Stop! Stop!" I cried, not baring the sight. Houston had looked away. The noise stopped.

"And it doesn't seem to force them to evolve!" he whined, complaining like nothing had just happened. "We have the right evolution frequency in the sound, but nothing is happening!"

"Well of course not!" I said, forgetting myself for a moment. I held the oddish tight. "Evolution occurs when a pokemon is comfortable and at peace, not listening to some awful noise. It's like drilling a screw into their head!" I racked my brain, remembering what I had learned about evolution in school. I closed my eyes in thought. "Evolution has been proven to have been forced onto pokemon through sound, but only when the pokemon enjoyed listening to what they heard," I recited, remembering a quote from one of my textbooks. I almost immediately regretted what I said. Not because it would give me away, but because I knew that I had given them the answer.

"An enjoyable sound… why didn't I think of that?" questioned the doctor.

"Because you have no sense of empathy," snapped Houston.

I stole a glance out of the glass panels. Erik and Articuno were standing alone, talking quietly. Erik caught my eye, sensing that something had gone wrong.

"An enjoyable sound… pokemon like music, right?" The doctor was talking to himself. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers. He jogged over to the other side of the room, full of excitement. He dug through his bag, producing an iPod. "Enjoyable sound…" He began to fiddle with the plugs on the wall, finding one to hook up his iPod to the system. Then, he sat down at one of the computers, messing with frequencies.

I was starting to panic a bit. I knew that it wouldn't take long for them to come up with the signal that they would need. The oddish in my arms shuddered again.

"Why don't you take a seat, admin?" asked Houston, watching me again. I nodded, eyes lost, and found my chair. I watched Dr. Flemming toy with the computer.

"So, how is the patrol?" asked one of the other admins. I had no idea what his name was. He watched me expectantly.

"G-good," I stammered. He nodded.

"The captives are staying quiet then?" he asked. I nodded once again. "Good. Hopefully you can aid me in their release at the end of this assignment. We don't want them hurt or anything. Hopefully the police won't start anything."

Wait, so Rocket cared about the people's safety? And they were going to peacefully release the captives after the heist? This was news to me, someone who had been brought up believing that Rocket members were all just bloodthirsty killers. It reminded me of Houston's empathy towards the oddish.

"Is that alright?" he confirmed with me. He looked concerned. "Ciara, are you okay? You look a bit lost."

"Oh, it's… the thunderstorm," I said, covering.

He looked confused. "The storm?" he said. I nodded.

"I've been terrified since I was a kid," I explained. That was all true, so it was easier to say.

He nodded understanding. "That makes sense. I too have phobias…"

"Yeah, Sean, aren't you afraid of spinaraks?" joked Houston. The admin's face turned red.

"Shut up, Houston," Sean said, looking away a bit. The other man next to him laughed.

"Don't worry man, I'm afraid of the dark something terrible," he said. That made Sean laugh.

"You? Mark? Really?" he said. The three laughed about it. I forced a giggle that made me sound like a donkey. But they didn't pay attention.

"What about you, Houston," said the admin named Mark after they had stopped laughing. "What are you afraid of?"

"Honestly?" he said. The two nodded. "I'm afraid of these operations we're acting on ruining what I grew up with." He said it with a straight face. Sean looked puzzled.

"What do you mean?" he asked. Both of the men looked lost.

"I grew up with pokemon being my friends and family," he said. "I don't want these special pokeballs to take away from that bond by making them our slaves. I still want them to retain some of their free will…" Houston looked between the two of them.

Mark stared at him for a second, before bursting out laughing. "Ha! Good one, Houston. Now come on, tell us what it really is." He watched Houston expectantly, hanging on his every word.

He sat there for a second, before smiling. "You're right. I'm just pulling your legs. I'm afraid of Mr. Mimes. Those things freak me out!" The other two laughed, and he smiled as well, looking away though, the smile not reaching his eyes.

I watched him, curious. This whole situation was new to me. I never expected Rockets to sit around, talking about what they are afraid of. Laughing and joking with each other like it was normal.

"Aha!" said Dr. Flemming. "I think I have it." He rushed back over to a different part of the machinery, turning a few knobs.

The four of us watched him work. "You think you have it now?" asked Houston. The doctor nodded, tweaking a few more things. Then he pushed a button.

The song Canon in D began to play in the sound booth. It was one of my favorites of all time, and I relaxed hearing it. But, throughout the song was that eerie bass sound, and it was totally off of the rhythm of the music. It sounded really just… bad. And it wasn't having any effect on the oddish at all. It wasn't writhing in pain, but it also wasn't evolving. _Good._

"What's wrong now?" he asked, pulling on his own hair in stress.

Sean answered. "Do you think you could match up the rhythm of the bass to the song? It sounds terrible." The other two nodded in agreement, and I nodded too after a few seconds to fit in.

"You know I have zero musical talent…" Then he snapped his fingers. "Ciara! You were a DJ before joining Team Rocket!" The other men in the room snickered, and I sat in shock. "Come over here and line these beats up! I have no idea how to make that work."

I stood, numb, shooting a horrified glance at Erik through the window. _Articuno needs to do her thing now!__" _I thought at him as loud as I could. His eyes widened, and he nodded. They headed over to the room, slowly.

I sat in front of the computer, eyes wide. It was like reading a foreign language. I had played piano for years, but that was it. I had never ever looked at electronic music in my life. I swallowed, freezing up completely.

"Ciara?" questioned the doctor, looking at me weird. "Isn't this your strong suit?" He eyed my face. "I have listened to your music before. This should be simple!"

"I… well I… you see…" I couldn't think of anything. The other admins were watching me carefully. But none as carefully as Dr. Flemming. He leaned forward, watching my every move.

"Ciara," he said quietly. "Where are your jade earrings?" I reached up and felt my earlobes. They were bare. "You wear them every day."

"Earrings?" I squeaked. I could see Erik and Articuno nearly to the door.

He leaned back, peering at me through his glasses. "Ciara?" he questioned.

"Yes?" I said, voice wavering.

"What are your two children's names?"

I stared blankly ahead, mouth moving, but no words coming out. Dr. Flemming's eyes widened, and he grinned. "Impostor!" he shouted. He grabbed my shirt, the psychic disguise from Ahri melting away at the physical contact. He lifted me up in the air by my other admins stood up. "Spy! Sneak!" He pulled back his arm, hand clenched in a fist. I squinted my eyes shut, prepared for impact.

"NO!" roared a voice, and a blast of psychic energy blew Dr. Flemming away. He dropped me on the floor, and I gasped for air. Erik ran up to me, helping me up. I could feel the protective instinct and anger flowing from him to me.

"Get out of here!" Articuno said. She ran to the machinery, starting to rip out cables with her hands. She was giving us time to get out. Erik nodded, wasting no time. The grunts outside the room had noticed the commotion, and there were several pokemon already out and ready to go.

"Wait!" I cried. I ran to the edge of the room, Articuno and Erik holding back the admins who were attempting to restrain us. I threw the empty boxes out of the way to reach Lee Sin.

Around his neck was black crystal, much like mine. I untied his hands, realizing that they had used his own blindfold to tie him up. Disgusted, but in a hurry, I handed it to him. He put it on painfully slow, and I took off the crystal. Then, he was back to himself.

"We need to leave," he said bluntly, and I nodded. I sprinted from the room, grabbing Erik on my way out. Articuno was putting up quite the fight, even in her human form.

We left the room, and I tossed out Sunny and Noche. "Get us to the elevator!" I shouted. Erik threw out Rimo and Tiji. The scyther immediately jumped into the fray, blocking attacks from an arbok and grimer at the same time. Rimo was floating through people, putting them to sleep with hypnosis.

"Ahri says that they haven't gotten all of the hostages out yet!" he said. He ducked a punch, and pulled me with him, helping me dodge a poison sting.

"I'll help her," Lee Sin cried. He hadn't cast out any pokemon, and was simply fighting pokemon with his own two fists. He hadn't even been touched yet, and had put two ekans out for the count already. He then turned, sprinting towards the stairwell, and kicking the door down. Rocket grunts followed him.

"We have to get out!" I repeated again. Sunny, to my right, was ramming into pokemon and people, her body on fire with the flame charge attack. Noche was on guard, eliminating threats before they even became threats with a quick faint attack. We were slowly fighting our way to the elevator door.

A raticate rushed me, and I pulled my leg back, ready to punt it, but Noche beat me to it. He twisted his body in the air, slamming the rat pokemon with his tail. It flew across the room, knocking several pokemon aside as it did so. We kept moving forward.

"We have to knock them back so they don't get on the elevator with us!" I cried. I stole a glance in the soundproof room. Articuno was restrained, being held down and slapped over and over again by the man in the lab coat. She glanced at me. Our eyes locked, and she gestured for us to go with her head. She wasn't transforming until we were out of there.

Erik and I put our backs to the elevator, our pokemon in front of us. "Everyone, force them back with something!" I screamed, unable to think of specifics for them to do. Sunny released a blast of flame from her mouth, forcing them back. Tiji beat his wings, fanning the flames even more. And Rimo brought darkness upon the room with night shade. Noche used this to his advantage to force back whatever had decided to stay through the flamethrower.

I pushed the button and the door opened immediately. We rushed inside, our pokemon cramming in, and I pushed the 'close door' button as fast as I could. The grunts were rushing towards the door again, the flamethrower having ended.

"Come on, come on!" I cried, pushing the button over and over.

"I thought you said that the button didn't work! That it was only made for impatient people!" Erik cried, watching me press it as fast as possible.

"I'm a bit impatient right now, Erik!" I screamed, ignoring his logic. The door finally began closing, and shut just as a giant arbok slammed into it.

_Thud! _It slammed into the wall, rocking the elevator. I pushed the button for the first floor, praying that it would take us down faster. But suddenly… it got very cold.

"Arceus," swore Erik. "Return your pokemon!" he hissed. We both did, and crouched down to the ground. We had only gone down two floors before the elevator froze and stopped moving.

_Great. _"What do we do?" I whispered, but Erik shook his head. His eyes were closed, and a thin, transparent dome was appearing overtop of us. He was shielding us from Darkrai. I breathed a sigh of relief, and realized that I could see my breath.

"**You dare?" **boomed a giant voice. It seemed to echo throughout the whole building. **"Desperate to join your family? I bet you… agh!" **We could only hear the exchange through Darkrai's voice. We couldn't tell what was happening otherwise, aside from the elevator getting very cold.

"Erik…" I whispered. It was really _really _cold. I was shivering more than I ever had in my life. "I'm so… c-c-cold…" I whispered. I inched closer to him, hoping to share body head. But it didn't help at all. The metal of the elevator was freezing, and crystals were beginning to form in the air.

"**You are desperate for your defeat, then! You shall have your wish!" **the voice roared. The building shook then, the walls around us vibrating. Ice crystals that had formed on the walls clinked to the floor. My eyes were starting to become hazy.

"**That's it. Fight! Yes… Ha!" **I was losing my vision. **"That's it, succumb to the darkness…" **I couldn't see anything. My body was numb.

"Allora?" I heard. I reached my hand out and grabbed Erik's leg. He wrapped his arms around me.

"**I know you are here, Mewtwo!" **the voice boomed. **"One day you will have to face me! Stop hiding!" **I couldn't feel myself touching Erik anymore. I could barely feel my body.

"Allora!" Erik cried. I felt pressure on my lips. A kiss? "Stay awake!"

"**Where are you!" **the building shook again. **"Articuno is mine! You are next!"**

"Allora…"

"**Where!"**

"Stay with me!"

"**I will find you!"**

Succumb to the darkness…


	32. Wrapping it Up

"_You are so close, my dear,__" __said a man__'__s voice. I was laying on the ground, the floor misting slightly. I raised my head and looked around, searching for the voice. I shivered, freezing cold, but I didn__'__t know why._

"_You are almost there,__" __the voice repeated. I turned around, and perched on the ground, were two giant bird pokemon. One of which was every color of the rainbow, shimmering in a golden aura. The other was silver and purple, glimmering and sparkling. They were both looking down on me. I slowly stood from the ground._

_I realized that I was standing between two doorways. One of them was golden and glistening. It felt warm and welcoming. I was drawn to the door._

"_Choose, wisely,__" __said the rainbow bird, a female voice this time. I looked between the doors. The other door was dark and menacing, cold and sad. I took another step towards the warmth. I thought I was choosing pretty well._

"_Look closer__…" __hummed the white bird pokemon. It had taken me a second, but I realized then that I was in council with Ho-oh and Lugia. But it didn__'__t mean anything to me. All that mattered were the doors. I looked at the dark door again. Throughout it, I could see faces floating through. Cali__… __Erik__… __Jamie__… __They were all suffering. _

_I stepped closer to it, eyes widening. __"__Why are they trapped there?__" __I demanded. I took a few steps towards the door. It got colder the closer I got to it._

"_You are the only one that can save them,__" __said Lugia. _

_I wanted to__… __I did. But the closer I got to the door, the weaker I got. My legs were turning numb with each step that I took. But I pushed on__… __and then__…_

_From the dark door came a blast of heat, warming me to the core, and sucking me in. I spiraled down into the darkness once again__…_

"Flar?"

I opened my eyes, and everything was fuzzy. The only thing I could see was the ceiling. There was one light, and some quickly melting ice. Water dripped on my forehead.

"Fla…" I looked to my right, and received a lick to the face. Sunny was there, sitting beside me, her warmth radiating around me. I suddenly remembered where I was.

"Erik?" I blurted, sitting up fast and earning a headache. I looked, and he was standing in the corner, smiling, but only halfway. My eyes widened, but he held up his hand.

"Darkrai has been gone for a while now," he said. "We are safe." He gestured to the elevator. "I couldn't warm the room up for you until he was gone, but I shielded us as Sunny coated the room with fire." He was leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "But now, I don't know how we are going to get us out of here."

I looked back over at Sunny, smiling and scratching behind her ears. Her fur was soft and warm. "The police should be coming… right?" Erik nodded.

"Ahri got all the hostages out with the help of Lee Sin, and the police burst in not much longer." Erik's eyes closed, as if he was remembering. "I saw it through Ahri's eyes. The helicopters surrounded the top level, and police swung in, breaking the glass. Many Rocket's had disappeared, or were frozen completely, and Darkrai had run, for the sake of his unanimousity. No matter how proud he is, he still doesn't want the world knowing his involvement."

"So… they're probably coming for us… right?" I noticed that the light for the elevator was back on… but it wasn't moving, meaning the cables were still probably frozen. I thought for a second, and looked at Erik.

"Articuno… is she…" He nodded, looking away.

"She used the strongest ice type moves she could, freezing and breaking the machinery upstairs, and freezing nearly the entire top half of the building." He looked down. "But it was not enough. I am afraid she is captured just like the others." He glanced at me. "You are lucky to be alive, being so close to her attacks like that. The Rocket's upstairs were not so lucky."

_Lucky to be alive. _"I guess…" I said, remembering my dream. "When will the police be here?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Ahri has told them where we are, I let her know. It could be a few hours." He walked over and sat next to me then. I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"I was really cold…" I said, thinking.

He looked at me, and kissed the top of my head. "I was really worried," he said.

I released Noche, and my two pokemon clamored onto my lap, sleeping with their heads draped over my legs. The elevator felt nice and warm, thanks to Sunny, and I dozed off to sleep.

_**BRZZRRRTTTZZZZZ! **__I_ jumped up from the ground, throwing Sunny and Noche from my lap. "What is happening!" I cried. Erik laughed. "How long was I asleep?" I asked, now wide awake.

"Just an hour," he said. "The Police are here." He grinned. The awful noise came again, seemingly from below us.

"They are using a drill to cut through the frozen doors on the 26th floor," he explained. "Our doors should be melted and they can…"

Then, there was an awful screeching noise, as the doors in front of us were wrenched open. A spotlight glared into the elevator from a small space only about two feet tall by the floor. It blinded the four of us. I returned my pokemon quickly, shielding my eyes.

"We got them!" cheered a man's voice, and the light was turned away from the opening. Police were crowding the entrance, looking in and smiling. Slowly, they all began to clap and cheer, until the room was filled with noise and whistling.

"You did it!" they cheered. "You saved the day!" "You are heroes!"

One of them reached up through the small hole, gesturing for me to come down. I sat on my butt and put my legs through, letting them lift me to the floor. They did the same with Erik. Everyone clapped, and patted us on the back, as we were led to an open window.

There were two large pidgeotto by the opening, and Officer Jenny as well. "You can thank Ahri for your rescue," she said, shaking our hands as we approached. "If she hadn't known exactly how many floors down you were from the top, this could have taken hours." She shook her head. "Most people would call the third floor from the top the 27th floor, but somehow it was like she was counting down from the outside of the building, and said the 26th! It was like she was ignoring the fact that we left out naming the 13th floor in the building's construction."

From Erik, I could feel waves of pride and 'I told you so" -ness. I rolled my eyes, and looked before me. I was going to have to mount the flying type in order to get down to the ground. Apparently the 'freak freezing accident' had frozen the stairs so completely in some places that it was impossible to walk up them. Bird pokemon were the next most logical mode of transportation.

I walked over to my pidgeotto, and it crouched to the ground, having done this many times before. I swung my leg over its back, and held on to its neck. Erik did the same, but with much more grace. Then, without warning, it launched itself over the edge. And then, I was flying."

I promised myself then that I was going to get my fly license as fast as possible. It was an amazing, weightless feeling, as we glided down to the flashing lights of police cars. Erik's pidgeotto was talking, to him I assumed. I guess he had informed it of his true form so he could thank it for helping us.

The landing was the roughest part, but it was understandable. For that poor pokemon to try and land with me on it's back was a feat in itself.

My other four pokemon that I had left with Cali were already out of their pokeballs. Diamond and Aberforth were cornering a Rocket member against a police car. He wasn't putting up much of a fight, intimidated by the dragon type in front of him. And the wartortle that could speak english.

I dismounted from my pidgeotto and looked around. It seemed as if quite a few Rocket members had been captured, with pokemon keeping them in check while the police carted them away in their few police cars that still actually worked. They hadn't gone down without a fight, it seemed.

"Aero!" screeched Icarus from above, landing in front of me. Glitter floated behind him, landing on my shoulder. I walked past him, scratching his head, observing the scene.

"Al!" called a voice. Cali was hugging me then, latched onto my shoulders, knocking Glitter off. She fluttered in the air, regaining her balance.

"Free," she muttered.

"Al I'm so glad you're alright!" her voice was squeaky and shrill, the early stages of crying. I hugged her back, smiling.

"I'm fine!" We pulled apart. "What happened out here?"

She relayed to me the story, Jamie and Erik approaching us in the midst of it to listen and provide input as well. Two police officers came and relived Diamond and Aberforth of their guard duty in the middle of the story, and they crowded around as well.

Cali said that everything had been fine until the air started feeling really cold. "And of course, Jamie and I knew what that was about…" she said, eyes downcast. She said that once that had happened, Rockets just started pouring from all exits of the building, including a few higher up windows on bird pokemon. "A few of those got away, and we are guessing that the higher ups got away in some sort of teleport, because we didn't capture any down here," she said.

"We were terrified something had happened to you two," Jamie said, scanning Erik and I. "Your turn; what happened?"

Erik quickly touched each of them on the foreheads to relay our tale, as it was easier than trying to describe it all. During our exchange, I could see Ahri speaking with Officer Jenny beside the main entrance to the radio tower. The entrance was covered in 'CAUTION' tape.

"So… she destroyed the signal?" Cali asked. I nodded.

"She messed it up so bad that the city itself probably won't be able to use it in its current state," I explained. "They're probably going to have to build a whole new broadcast station."

"After it defrosts," Erik said. He looked down, and I felt a wave of sadness from his body. It seemed to hit us all, then, that Articuno was gone.

"Excellent job you five… four?" Officer Jenny put her hand on Jamie's shoulder, eyes running over us as if she were recounting our group. "Where is your friend… Glimmer, I think it was?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but Erik was already on it. "I think she took off on one of her bird pokemon to follow a few straggling grunts," he explained without a blink. "We will meet with her when we go further south."

She nodded. "Good. Well congratulations again," she said. She gave Jamie a quick hug. "Make sure all of your pokemon are accounted for." She took one last look at us. "You are all five invited to a celebratory banquet in two nights at the Saffron City Courthouse," she said, looking at us all each in turn. "This many Rocket arrests surely means some answers, and since you guys especially seem to be involved in helping us out these last few heists, you are all more than welcome to show up."

We looked between ourselves, agreeing silently. "We'll be there," I said. Jamie nodded.

"I'll text Jamie the address then. 7PM in the Saffron City courthouse," she repeated. She tipped her hat, patted Jamie on the arm, and went back to her car.

The hectic scene outside had started to die down. Verde was holding a Rocket member's hands behind his back with his vines. Things seemed to be cleaning up, a lot thanks to the help from our pokemon. We tracked them down and returned them all once the major work was done. Star had been a lot of help running down stragglers, and was the last to return to us. The proud arcanine received much praise from Cali before being sent back to her pokeball.

We spent a good bit simply standing around making small talk and watching everything wrap up, simply enjoying each other's presence and the fact that we were all alive. Jamie and Cali boasted about both Erik and my pokemon and the ways that they helped everyone out. Lee Sin and Ahri said quick thank you's to all of us, both of them looking exhausted. They invited us to come and see them the next day in the dojo when we were all rested. We happily agreed.

We all seemed to decide at the same time to head back to the pokemon center. The streets were completely empty because of the police warnings, and we had the whole space to ourselves. The city was eerily quiet, ominous even. We walked, me holding Erik's hand, and Cali holding Jamie's. We were silent.

I gripped Erik's hand tighter and tighter the longer our walk went. I had come so close once again to being separated from him forever, and he had once again saved my life. I had no idea how I was to repay this kindness. I felt like baking him another cake wouldn't quite qualify.

His thoughts were guarded, but I let my guard completely down, letting him feel how thankful I was for his actions, and how thankful I was for him in general. He was by far the best thing that had ever happened to me.

His thoughts stayed slightly guarded, but feelings of love and fear of loss were reciprocated, and they made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Our footfalls almost seemed to echo as we walked in silence back to our rooms. Our pokemon were returned, and it seemed empty enough on the streets to where we did not even feel the need to let them out. The stars were invisible with the city lights obscuring our view. Pidgey were nesting in the gutters, and rattata scurried in the alleyways.

The pokemon center doors slid open, the lobby being bare. The television was on, but the TV covered in static, for the radio tower was also the main cable provider for the city, and seeing as how the top fifteen floors or so were frozen, it made sense that Saffron would not be seeing a TV broadcast for several weeks.

Erik's thoughts got darker and darker as we headed up the stairs (I refused to take the elevator.) I think he recognized this, and shielded his mind from me completely then, blocking me out. We said our goodnights to Cali and Jamie, and walked to our own room. I glanced up at his face now and then; his brow was furrowed, his mouth locked in a frown.

I could only imagine what he was feeling, having lost two more people that were close to him, unable to save them in turn. He sat on the bed as I undressed, changing into looser clothes and brushing my teeth. I could see him in the mirror sitting on the bed, eyes glazed over, staring at the wall.

He hadn't said a word since leaving the scene in front of the radio tower. I didn't know what else to do, and so I sat on his lap and put my arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around me and put his face in my hair. His body shook with sadness as he did so, trying desperately not to cry. I pulled back and moved over to the bed, forcing him to lay down beside me.

He cried, unashamed, still desperately trying to hide his thoughts from me. But I didn't need to feel them to know what was wrong. And I held him and kissed him and made myself as close to him as possible to keep him somehow connected to the real world. The real world that had taken almost everything from him.

But he had to know that I was still here.


	33. Lighthearted Evolution

It seemed as if the city itself woke up slow that next morning. Erik, of course, didn't sleep, being a legendary pokemon. I, however, fell asleep at some point that night, only waking up as the sun did. Erik's cheeks were dry in the morning, and he kissed my forehead as my eyes fluttered open.

"Thank you," was the first thing he said to me that morning. I didn't need to ask what he was thanking me for. I just nodded, understanding completely what he meant. No more words were needed.

I got ready for the day, stopping by Jamie and Cali's room to knock and make sure they got up before getting myself ready. I took a quick shower, suddenly realizing that I had never ever seen Erik take a shower.

"Hey, Erik?" I called from the bathroom. Normally I would just reach out with my mind, but his thoughts were still completely shielded.

"Yeah?" he said, voice coming through the closed bathroom door.

I scrubbed my hair in the steamy shower. "How do you clean yourself?"

"What?" he asked, sounding confused. I rolled my eyes.

"You know, shower, or like, a bath maybe?" I tilted my head back in the water, letting it rinse my hair of bubbles.

He was silent for a long while, and then he said; "You realize that my species is part feline, correct?"

It took me a second for that to click. I had seen very briefly what his true form looked like through his memories. "So… what does that mean?" He was silent again, before it actually hit me. "So you're telling me you've been _licking _yourself?"

Pause, and then; "Well not exactly. I use my powers to kill bacteria in the more inaccessible areas. This human form does not bend very well."

"_WHAT?__" _I shrieked. _"__TAKE A SHOWER EW!__"_

"It's not unsanitary," he said like it was the most normal thing in the world. "My psychic powers used to clean myself are much more effective than human 'soap'"

I was about to lose it. I jumped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around myself, and flung the bathroom door open. "Get. In. The. Shower. _Now.__" _He must have felt how psychotic I was getting about the whole thing. His eyes widened in what I could only assume was fear. He nodded without a word and headed into the bathroom.

"How do I shower?" he asked as I closed the door behind him, closing him into the bathroom.

"Figure it out! You're smart," I said, calming down a bit. Thinking about some of the things that we had done in the last few weeks together, and that he hadn't showered ever since he gained his human form… I gagged a bit, shaking my head rapidly to clear my thoughts. He had better be right about his powers being efficient in cleaning himself.

I heard the shower click on, and Erik fumbling around in the bathroom. I took off my towel, wrapping it around my head and digging through my bag for some clean clothes. The chansey in the pokemon center had done our laundry, so the few outfits that I had with me for traveling were thankfully clean. Knowing we had lunch with Ahri and Lee Sin that day, I grabbed leggings and a curve hugging dress. It was the first time I had donned that outfit since I had started traveling, only because I had had no reason to wear it otherwise.

I almost felt uncomfortable wearing an outfit that flattered me for once, having become so used to jeans and T-shirts since we started traveling. It hadn't been that long ago, but it felt like a lifetime. I slid on my only pair of shoes that would match, just a pair of flip-flops, and brought out my tiny make up bag and put on makeup, more than I had the whole time I had been gone. I let my curly hair air dry, letting the curls set themselves.

I heard the bathroom door open and looked up from my little mirror. Erik was wrapped in a towel, purple hair dripping, but for once, clean.

"Why do humans do that?" he grumbled, walking over to where his own bag was. "Using a tongue is so much easier, and less wet…" He pulled out his clothes and began to jerk them on. "The smaller amount of moisture evaporates faster… and it is so much easier to control… granted not all body parts can be reached, but only _then _should they consider using water at all!"

"You really are a feline pokemon aren't you?" I asked, watching him, amused. He glared up at me.

"Felidae may be my biological category, but I'm the most advanced of all." The pride just oozed out of him as he finished getting dressed. "But to drench yourself in water like that every day… it's just absurd!"

"Okay," I giggled, continuing to put mascara on. I was basically done, and looked myself over, remembering what it was like when I used to wear make up and do my hair every single day. I sighed, snapping my hand held mirror shut. Erik was fiddling with his wet hair in the mirror. It was still dripping, getting his shirt all wet.

I sighed. His attempts of hiding his feelings from me were failing, and his grumpiness and frustration was clear. I came up behind him with the towel, and scrubbed his hair with it, drying it off.

"Hey what… Allora! Why… what!" were his frantic cries as I sadistically tousled his hair dry. I lifted the towel to reveal his damp, but no longer dripping purple hair.

"You're welcome," I grinned, as he marveled over the science of towels.

We four left on our way to lunch at the Dojo just before noon. We all had our full teams back with us. Construction vehicles were already surrounding the radio tower in clean up. The city was managing the damages quite nicely, having to deal with being without TV or radio for probably the next week or so. Bird pokemon instead were flying in newspapers from other towns, a method of communication that hadn't been used for years.

It felt kinda nice, seeing people reading the paper in a coffee shop or sitting on a bench. It was a nice change from constant technology and instant communication. "Shoot!" That made me think for a second. I turned to Cali. "Our pokells aren't going to have any service as long as we stay here are they."

Her eyes widened. "No… probably not." She shrugged. "It wasn't like we were using them that much anyway." I nodded. I had only used mine three or four times, and only then to call home. My parents were doing fine back at the breeder's farm, completely and blissfully unaware of my escapades with Team Rocket.

"We can still probably auto-link ours, just in case," Jamie mused. Cali and I nodded, taking out our pokells and adjusting the settings. Erik stared at our devices.

"What are you guys doing?" he asked. I rolled my eyes and held out my hand without even saying anything. Erik handed me his own purple pokell, puzzled, as I pushed a few buttons to auto-link it as well.

Auto-link is a pokell feature that lets up to ten devices connect without a cellular signal. They can still text and talk with each other as long as they are within a certain distance. Sort of like walkie talkies. They bypass any weak or lost cell signal and automatically lock onto each specific phone's frequency.

After we had all linked up, we reached the dojo. The doors were closed, and through the glass we could see that it was empty on the inside. Jamie took charge, stepping to the sliding door and letting us in the room.

It was quiet inside the room, the air clean and still. Sunlight shone through the skylights on the roof. Ahri's ninetales was sunbathing on the hardwood floors in a patch of the sunlight. It didn't even acknowledge us as we passed.

Against the very back wall of the room, Ahri and Lee Sin were seated at a table, sitting on pillows, the table being set very close to the floor. They were both eating with chopsticks, each having white rice and bay leaves, and what looked like some sort of fish with them. _Sushi? _My stomach grumbled a bit as we made our way back.

"Welcome!" greeted Lee Sin without looking up. The four of us gathered around, standing awkwardly. Erik finally caught on, mimicking what Lee Sin and Ahri were doing, sitting on the pillow on his knees. Lee Sin smiled, amused. The rest of us took our seats.

We started in on warm conversation about the past. Jamie talked about his memories in the dojo as a child. Erik talked about his past a little, something I had never heard him do. He told the story that the three of us already knew, about how he got his human form. Cali told stories about when she first got Sam, her vulpix.

Ahri's tails were relaxed on the ground behind her. Every now and then one of them would twitch and move lazily back and forth. Her ears were set forward on her head, swiveling around to listen to each of us speak. When she heard Cali mention her vulpix, her eyes lit up. "Aw, a baby?" she giggled, her tails arching a bit. "Lemme see him!"

"He isn't quite a baby," Cali mused, taking out Sam's pokeball. "He is ready to evolve now. He knows all the moves I would want him to know before evolution: will-o-wisp, confuse ray, flamethrower, and imprison." I hadn't known Sam had learned so much in the last few months, but I didn't say anything.

Ahri nodded, excited. "Let's see him then!" she said. Cali tossed the ball onto the ground, with Sam standing and yawning, stretching his paws out in front of him.

Sam had gotten bigger than I remembered, now that I had a chance to really look at him. He stood nearly to my waist, his six tails having grown nearly as long as his body. His ears were quite large, very beautiful and delicate looking. His fur was silky and russet colored, his underbelly a splash of cream.

Ahri clapped her hands, standing to approach him. Sam padded nervously towards her. "He is a specimen, isn't he?" she said, kneeling down and scratching behind his ears. Ahri's ninetales had stood, and was approaching the two as well.

"I… guess?" Cali said, half questioning and looking between me and Jamie, unsure if 'specimen' was a compliment or not.

"Why haven't you evolved him yet?" Ahri asked, after several minutes of doting on Sam. Sam and Ahri's ninetales were immersed in conversation. Sam was nearly as large as the ninetales, showing his readiness to evolve.

"I… don't really know," mused Cali for a second. "We've just been so busy, I didn't want to change his form so suddenly, accidentally throw him off in battle, you know?"

Ahri nodded. "But, now would be an excellent time, don't you think?" she said, excited. Cali shrugged.

"I guess…"

"Great!" interrupted Ahri. "I have a fire stone you can have."

"Oh, no, I have one," Cali said, reaching into her bag and pulling out her first firestone she had received. The one she had gotten in her bag of trainer items.

"Nonsense," Ahri said, heading through the door into the gym. "You are a fire pokemon trainer, are you not? It is important for you to save that for the future!" She disappeared for a second, and reappeared moments later with the glimmering fire stone her hand. "Please, as a gift from me."

Cali hesitated, then nodded a wordless thanks to Ahri. She took the stone, turning to Sam. "You ready?" she said, sounding nervous.

Sam slowly approached the stone. Once he was close enough, he leaned his head into it. The stone suddenly dissolved, producing a yellow and red glittering dust. The dust swirled around Sam before suddenly attaching itself to his body. He glowed a bright white, his body melding and shifting. We all watched in awe as he grew, and three more tails sprouted from his original six.

The light dimmed down, revealing his new form. A ninetales. He was a good foot taller than Ahri's female ninetales, with more fur bushing out on his chest. The hair on his head fanned out to become almost a mane, unlike the females, which looked almost like a ponytail. His eyes were a ruby red, his body type more like a wolf in stature. The female was more slender and fox like in contrast. He was gorgeous.

"Beautiful," Ahri whispered as we all stared. Sam seemed completely adapted to his new form already. He stood, walking towards Cali. When he stood, his head was at level with her shoulder.

Ahri's ninetales had taken notice too, and was curiously approaching Sam. He noticed, and the two began frolicking around the Dojo, racing and having a playful snowball fight with will-o-wisps.

"It seems that your partner has taken a liking to Sam," Erik told Ahri. She nodded, eyes tearing up, ears flat against her skull.

"Bella has never really befriended any other pokemon. To see her acting like this…" she was at a loss for words. She turned to Cali. "I know the four of you must leave. Promise me that one day you might return, if not for me, than for my Bella."

Cali nodded, unsure as to how to react to the sudden burst of emotion from the gym leader.

"Of course," she said. Ahri's ears perked up again, and she nodded.

"Thank you. Lee Sin and I are forever in your debt." That last part was addressed to all four of us, and we all nodded in acknowledgment.

We stayed there for a few more hours, way into the afternoon, just talking about future plans and past losses. Sam and Bella were inseparable for the whole time, but soon it was time to go.

It took Cali having to put Sam back in his pokeball to get him away from Bella. "If anyone will force me to come back here, it will be Sam," she told Ahri. The leader gave her a hug, and then the rest of us in turn. Erik and her just exchanged a glance.

Jamie said his goodbye's to Lee Sin. While we would still be in Saffron for another day for the police banquet, we would most likely not be heading back in the direction of the dojo.

For once, saying goodbye was a choice, and not a curse.


	34. The Pokeathalon Dome

The banquet itself was a less than formal event. We arrived there the day after our meeting with Ahri and Lee Sin, and it was slightly underwhelming. The only highlight was when Officer Jenny made a speech honoring the four of us, ignoring the questioning looks on where our fifth member ended up. We were called up on stage, applauded, and sent back to our seats for dinner.

The following day we picked ourselves up and headed south once again, towards Vermillion City. I was feeling well rested and ready to get on the move again, almost hoping to find trouble. Hopefully, finding trouble first would help us be better prepared, instead of trouble finding us. The faster we could figure out where the legendaries were being kept, the faster I could save our friends.

The trip south seemed to pass, unfortunately, quietly. The area was sparse forest, with mostly rocky plain to navigate. Few wild pokemon even showed up, making the trip even boring at times.

Erik said very little, his thoughts once again guarded from our mental connection. Cali and Jamie were similarly quiet. At one point, when the silence was getting to me, I decided to release Aberforth, if only to listen to him talk and drown out the silence.

His company made the time pass quicker at least. He told story upon story of his adventures hundreds of years ago. He told the story of how he met Diamond which was particularly interesting. "I hath known the lass whence she were only a dratini" he mused, waddling next to me, between Erik and I. "And she spoke more than she doth today."

Erik nodded, agreeing. "I wish maybe one day I would be able to speak with my pokemon," I thought aloud. "Then maybe I would know what you mean."

Erik smiled. "Perhaps, when I get my powers back, I could help you reach that goal."

Aberforth agreed. "Of course. And, in the meantime my lady, thou shalt not hesitate to ask me to translate."

I nodded, slowly drifting off into my own little world. Aberforth's babble was nice for some background noise, and the relaxing nature of the walk was something that I could get used to after the excitement of the last few days. We were all avoiding the topic of Articuno, especially around Erik, though I knew that her loss had only made him more determined to reach our goal and save the legendaries.

And we were so close.

Vermillion city opened up before us. We had finished climbing another decently sized hill, this one revealing the lands surrounding. I had returned Aberforth a few miles back, as wartortle are not the best at walking long distances. Vermillion was quite the sight, but the ocean took my breath away. From our position, you could see for miles, even where the earth seemed to bend. The sun was setting in the clear sky, and over the water colors danced in the clouds. Red, purple, orange… all of them swirled together in a brilliant watercolor.

Of course, by that time we were all exhausted. We nearly sprinted the last mile down the road to the city, eager to get some food, and a room at a pokemon center.

Vermillion City was a port town, home to the famous cruise boat the S. S. Aqua. It also was a city known for its seafood, with many, many restaurants lining the beach, serving fish, shrimp, scallops, and any other kind of seafood you could think of.

There was, of course, the Vermillion City gym, an electric type gym that I was eager to challenge as soon as we were rested. And, to our left as we approached from the north, there was a new building. Vermillion had a construction project that had been active for years, and had only recently been completed in the last six months or so. The new building that had been constructed was a pokeathalon dome.

These contests had begun in Johto, and were just now becoming popular in other regions. There were five different areas of contest in a pokeathalon competition: skill, power, speed, stamina, and jump. These tested your pokemon on many different levels that aren't necessarily battling.

"We have to try that," I mentioned to Erik as we passed.

"Is it a gym?" he asked curiously, eying the building.

"No, it's a competition kinda like a gym… You'll just have to see when we get there." I smiled, squeezing his hand in my own.

He nodded, though still quiet. Cali and Jamie were ahead of us, and had pointed at the dome and jumped up and down like five year olds when they had seen it, So I guessed they wanted to try it out too.

We stopped for food at a little beachside shack with a good view of the ocean. The S. S. Anne was apparently out on a voyage, for the large port of the city was taken up by smaller private boats. We ate like we hadn't eaten in days, for we hadn't stopped for lunch on our way south.

"So, Allora," Cali said, mouth full of noodles and shrimp. She swallowed, moving her red hair out of her eyes. "Which pokemon are you going to fly on first?"

I blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You know, with your fly license?" she said. I stared back, still lost. She sighed. "Vermillion City is the gym requirement for you to get your fly license."

I blinked again, this time almost holding my breath. "Really?" I whispered. She nodded, just as excited as I was. I had dreamed of flying on a pokemon for my whole life. Only trainers that proved their mastery of pokemon by defeating Lt. Surge jr. at the Vermillion City gym could receive their licenses. They didn't necessarily need all of the badges prior, but they had to be strong enough to defeat the electric master himself.

Lt. Surge sr. had left for retirement long ago, some think visiting other regions, like Hoenn and Unova. He had become an electric pokemon collector, having pokemon from all different kinds of places. Some people even thought he was dead, but most had faith in the lieutenant. He was just fine.

We threw out a few of our pokemon to let them stretch and play on the beach. The sand was white and soft, and when it was wet it was good for building sand castles. I released Sunny and Noche myself, and they took off to play with Jamie's Verde and Raya, the furret. Jamie also let Azul go play in the water, as the horsea rarely got any free time. Cali threw out Flare the charmeleon to play with her newest pokemon, Ruby. The houndour looked slightly nervous, but relaxed when she saw Raya, her friend from the daycare.

The six land pokemon started a game with Azul where they dodged water guns that she squirted onto the sand. Noche, Verde, and Raya were having more fun than the three fire pokemon, that were actually serious about not wanting to get wet.

We laughed watching them, relaxing as the sun fell below the horizon, the sky still nicely lit with the afterglow of dusk. "Erik, why don't you let any of your pokemon out to play?" I asked. He touched my hand, and I could feel happiness radiating from him. It was genuine, and made me smile.

"Because, I brought along some different friends this time… And I think they would draw attention if I were to release them." he said. "I think they're fine resting for now."

I watched his face curiously, as to any hint of which kind of pokemon he had. But he didn't reveal anything, even through his thoughts. Though of couse, then I was dying to know which pokemon they were.

"Can you like, tell me which ones they are?" I asked, begging playfully. Cali and Jamie were both staring at him too, having overheard our conversation.

Erik sighed, making eye contact with me. "Did you not say that the new building over there held competitions between pokemon that were different from battling?"

I nodded slowly, trying to follow his train of thought.

"Well, if we enter those competitions, perhaps you'll see them," he said coyly.

I huffed, impatient but willing to compromise. "Fine…" I said, moping. But then I had an idea. I grinned, looking around the table, before raising my arm.

"Check please!"

The pokeathalon dome was open throughout the night, til usually midnight at the earliest. As it was a weeknight, midnight was our cutoff. It had just turned eight, but we were fine on time.

"Each competition takes about thirty minutes to complete," said a friendly clerk at the register where we all gathered around. She smiled at our enthusiasm, navy blue uniform crisp to a T. "Within each competition there are three trials, each being about 10 minutes each."

"That means we have time to do all five!" Cali cheered eagerly.

'

"Well… We might not be up for that," Jamie warned, holding Azul in his hands. "We just walked all day. And it's probably expensive?" he said, directing that last part towards the clerk. She just smiled.

"You each pay for one day pass, and then each event can be accessed as many times as you would like, for free."

Cali pumped her fist, and stuck her tongue out at Jamie, who rolled his eyes. I smiled, feeling up to the challenge.

"We'll take the passes. We'd like to compete in all five!" I said, with my friend agreeing around me. We paid individually for the passes, which were surprisingly cheap.

"I'll register each of you in the five competitions…" said the clerk, typing on a computer. "There!" she said, pressing enter. "You are all in the competitions together as a group of four. You will only be competing against each other, okay?" We nodded, eager for the trials ahead. "Please, head to the tables in the lobby to wait. Your first competition is jump, and they will call your names when the arena is set up."

I smiled, super excited for the competition. We all chatted together in excitement as we waited by the tables, returning our pokemon as we did so. On the table was a small pamphlet that gave hints about what was to come in each competition. I grabbed it and flipped to the page about the jump trials.

"In the jump trials, it is wise to pick a pokemon that can fly," I read aloud. Cali frowned. "But, if your pokemon can fly, they may only flap their wings three times, or if they levitate, may only levitate for three seconds." I looked around at the table, and everyone was staring at me. I cleared my throat, and kept reading. "You may choose three pokemon to participate, but only one per activity. The three activities are as follows: the disc catch, the hurdle jump, and the lamp jump."

Below each of the activity titles were pictures of pokemon performing them. But, there were no descriptions of the activities besides their names, leaving us in the dark. "Hurdle jump sounds like track…" muttered Cali. "And disc catch is pretty self explanatory, right?"

"But what is 'lamp jump?'" asked Jamie. We looked at the picture, where all you could see was a bird pokemon flying towards some lights. It wasn't very clear.

"Allora, Erik, Cali, and Jamie," buzzed the announcer. Our excitement brewed once more as we headed towards the gate. There weren't many competitors it seemed, but there were a lot of fans. Viewing a pokeathalon competition was just something to do on a weeknight it seemed.

"You may choose three pokemon," said another clerk, a man this time, still in sharp navy clothing.

I mulled over my choices. It was obvious to choose Glitter and Icarus, for both of them could fly, giving me an advantage. But for the third… I was at a loss. Though if the hurdle jump was like track, and needed speed too, then… I decided on Sunny as my third pokemon. I watched as Jamie took three of his six pokeballs, Cali three of her four, and Erik three of his six… Though I had no idea what he had planned.

"Okay, if you are ready, please enter the arena." We stepped forward, through double doors. Cold air washed down on us from a fan, and then we stepped through one more set of doors, onto a raised platform overlooking the ground. There was a muffled roaring noise that sounded like machinery coming from all around us.

Directly in front of us was a plain gray platform, raised from the ground. It was about the size of a tennis court. On either side of it were four buckets, two per side. They were red, blue, green, and purple in color. In the distance were three cannon looking machines, ominously waiting to be turned on.

The clerk turned back to us, giving instruction. "You may choose one pokemon to participate. This pokemon may not be the participator in the next two trials. The other two pokemon may watch. If your pokemon falls off of the platform, they may help them get back on. The goal is to catch as many disks as you can, and drop them in your color bin. You may choose your colors now."

Erik, obviously, went with purple. Cali chose red, Jamie green, and I picked blue. The clerk handed us each three ribbons to tie on some part of our pokemon for this part and the rest of the competition. We walked down a set of stairs, taking our place behind the court, on raised platforms that gave us an excellent view.

_This is so exciting, _Erik said in my head. I jumped, shooting him a glance. He was smiling, teeth showing and all. And for once it didn't look awkward on his face.

"Okay, send out your three pokemon!" said the clerk, and he blew a whistle. Suddenly, from all around us, metal curtains rose to reveal a decent sized crowd of viewers. I then realized where the roaring sound had come from, as it became clear that it was the cheering of the crowd.

I tossed out my three pokeballs, placing Icarus on the platform, and Glitter and Sunny below. There was about an eight foot difference between the floor and the platform. Icarus would have no problem with falling off, but Cali might. She had Star the arcanine on the platform to catch the discs, and Sam and Ruby below, to help her back up if she fell. Hopefully the large pokemon would be able to simply jump up on her own, but she might need a little help.

Jamie had with him Vuela the pidgeotto, and Raya, both on the ground, and Verde up on the platform, vines at the ready. _That's smart, _I thought. Vine whip would be excellent for catching things.

And Erik… I glanced to my left where his pokemon were. On the platform was a persian, a normal type pokemon with cat like features. It sat calmly, licking its paw and cleaning its face. On the ground was a pidgeot, the evolution of Jamie's Vuela, and a charizard. All of the pokemon had strange brown markings on their bodies, clearly some of Erik's cloned pokemon.

I looked to my right at Cali, who was drooling over the charizard from her stand. It was giant, nearly as tall as the platform was raised. Its flame on its tail burned brightly. Erik's pokemon were as well behaved as ever.

I realized that his psychic connection probably gave him an advantage in these competitions, but hopefully I would be able to count on his inexperience with this kind of thing to give me an advantage. Like Cali had said, these competitions like this were similar to the sports we played in school. I was almost positive Erik had never watched a sport.

I breathed, adrenaline taking over as I watched Icarus on the mat. I had to trust in my pokemon to do their best, as there was little coaching I could do from the sidelines that would make any difference. This trial was only to last five minutes, with a break in between to discuss strategy.

I exhaled, watching the clerk on the ground. "On your mark," he said, voice magnified with a microphone. "Get set…"

"Go!"


End file.
